It's WAR!
by Whipblade
Summary: Mace and fellow Freedom Fighters captured during a rescue attempt. A rat mocks them claiming to be 'Mace'. With an escape plan in motion, they find freedom. But is it too late? Will the Biker Mice believe Mace to be a mouse? suggestive slash theme
1. Chapter 1

"Mace get your tail in gear!" Stoker snapped at the rusty brown mouse.  
Mace continued to slowly pack up what radio equipment he needed, his bedroll and his battle gear. "Why the hell do I have to come with you? There's enough, the bikes can make it there and back in a couple of hours. What's the deal Stokes?" he complained.

"Damnit Mace!" Stoker grabbed more gear, pushed Mace aside and quickly packed what he needed only.  
"This is a War. Not some damn vacation." He tossed out a battered copy of Water Gate Uncovered, a stuffed mouse. "Geez Mace, I thought your too old to have something like this." Stoker tossed the toy out of the door.

Throttle stopped in his tracks and picked the small mouse that had a canny resemblance to himself. Hearing Stoker grumbling, he strolled to the communications entrance, stuffing the toy into his vest.  
"Problems Mace?" Throttle smirked seeing the officer sulking and standing out of Stoker's way.

"Nothing I can't handle rookie." Mace sighed annoyed as Stoker tossed more of his stuff out of the bag. And packed more into it. "Are you done yet Daddy?" Mace sarcastically snarled at Stoker.

"Am now." Stoker said grabbing Mace's bags. Slinging them over his shoulder.

Mace grabbed the three portable radios, following Stoker's swift strides towards the garage. "Look Stoker, I don't see any need for me to go. Radar can take care of things in the field, he always had."

"I need the both of you." Stoker snapped dropping Mace's bags by Modo's feet. "Make sure NOTHING else is put into these."

"Sure thing Stokes." Modo said watching Mace practically pout as he started loading up his bike.

Throttle strolled up to Modo. "Hey big guy, got your ride ready?" he fist tapped Modo's thick arm.  
"Lil' Darlin's ready to ride." The gray giant of a mouse said.

"Bada-BANG!" Vinnie bounced into the garage with energy to burn. The two huge guns slung over his shoulders so casually. "Yo! Bros! Ready to rock the socks off them pesky invaders?"

"Do they even wear socks?" Throttle questioned.  
"Gag. I rather not know." Vinnie's face scrunched up in disgust. Sauntering away Vinnie continued to talk. "Going in hot. The best of them all, leading the way, guns blazing..."  
"Hey punk!" Stoker cut in. "Finally figured out I'm the best eh?" Stoker laughed, his tail slapping Vinnie up side the head.  
The white mouse jumped. "HEY!"

Harley smiled sweetly. "Aww take it easy handsome, he just likes to rub you the wrong way."  
Vinnie smiled back. "You can rub me any way you want."  
"I'll have to take a rain check on that handsome." Harley winked her blue eye. "When this campaign is over, we'll talk." she blew him a kiss before moving onto the next loaded bike.  
"I'll make sure my tail stays intact." Vinnie grinned.

"Don't think it's your tail she's all that interested in." Mace chuckled from behind the white energy ball.

"Ahh, but that's well protected." Vinnie winked.

Mace rolled his eyes.

"We going in hot Stoker?" Throttle asked once Stoker passed close enough.

"We are." Stoker said as he continued to walk to the center of the room.  
"Listen up Freedom Fighters..."

All activity stopped, every eye focused on their leader.

**BIKER MICE FROM MARS**

**In**

**IT'S WAR!**

_**by: Whipblade**_

Throttle slid down a pile of dirt. A dead body not a foot away. Sweat dripped off his forehead as he belly crawled over the dead kin. Taking what he could use and the tags off the body, he took stock of his ammo before rolling behind a larger clump of dirt. Sneaking a fast peek over the edge of the dirt. He caught a quick glance of the enemy. Reading a grenade he counted to three before lobbing it towards the enemy.

The explosion and shouts in a foreign language gave a small perverse pleasure to the tawny mouse. Without a bazooka, Throttle had no means of stopping the tank slowly plowing its way through the sand, dead and discarded shards of vehicles.  
An explosion erupted not three feet in front of the mount of dirt he used as a cover. Ducking his head, he closed his eyes automatically. Even though his helmets face shield was down. Dirt rained down upon him. He didn't stir for a moment. Tucking his legs under his body, holding his rifle firm and close to his chest. Throttle shot up and stayed crouched while darting across the open field.  
This tuck run gave the enemy a much smaller target to shoot at.

Two hundred meters later and he slid down into a trench, breathing hard. "I need a confirm! Is the enemy moving towards or away from the village?" Throttle shouted into his radio.

Only static returned.

"Crap." Throttle sighed chucking the radio over his head. It exploded before it hit the ground. Keeping his head down, Throttle raced again in the uncomfortable tuck along the shallow trench. Completely turned around, he only hoped he was heading away from the village and not towards it.

Shots rung out from behind, just skimming past his head. A bullet grazed his shoulder. Clenching his teeth in pain, he spun around, firing his rifle before he locked on a target. A Plutarkian fell before it got a chance to ensure a kill shot.

"Fuck." Throttle growled as blood started to soak into his clothing and fur. Swinging around, he didn't stop running, keeping his head down.

Mace heard the rattling of ammo, crunching of gravel under running feet and then saw the shadow of a helmet clad mouse came into view before the actual mouse did.

Throttle tripped as a hand shot out of a cave, grabbing his belt. He was pulled through a tiny hole, his gear and knees catching the edges.  
Reeling with the fast grab his breath hitched in his throat unsure if the darkness would reveal a friend or foe.

"Comrade?" The rusty voice of Mace, wary as usual.

"Yeah?" Throttle replied in a hushed tone.

"Don't scream." Mace warned.

Biting his bottom lip, Throttle tensed as his body jerked. The cool liquid seeped into his deep cut, stinging all the way.

Hissing "Only exit?" Throttle pointed to the hole he was pulled through.

"yes." Mace replied.

The tawny and rusty reddish brown mouse both set up weapons, cross hairs aimed at the three foot entrance.

The two laid on their bellies for what seemed like hours. The battle outside started to sound fainter. The foreign language of the invaders passed by the trench, but none investigated the cave. Shadows played on the ground until dusk settled.

"How long?" Throttle whispered.  
"Thirty minutes." Mace replied.  
Throttle shifted raising himself, but keeping his gun aimed. His back cracked with the movements.  
"How'd you get into the thick of things?" Throttle's voice whispered.

"Ran after a kid, he's back there. It opens, but doesn't go anywhere." Mace replied in an equally low tone.

"This place will crumble once the tanks are within reach."

"How many."

"Counted seven."

Mace nodded as his tail snaked behind him, feeling the way in the darkness it waved back and forth as if trying to find something. With in seconds scuffling sounded as someone crawled forward.

"Is it safe?" The weak squeaky voice of a youth asked.

"Never gonna be safe as long as we're at war." Throttle replied. "I'm going out to make sure it's clear."

"Careful." Mace said watching the tawny mouse slip out. He waited, expecting a shot, his body to drop, convulse and lay still. It didn't happen, as a hand waved them out.

Both Mace and the youth exited the hole. Together the three hurried down the trench.

"Any word from Throttle or Mace yet?" Stoker asked Modo. The pair were hunched near a window. Their fighters regrouping around them. The building they took hold of was a mere skeleton, but it was something.

"Nothing." Modo replied keeping his sharp eyes out for movement in the dark.

"What about..." Stoker started.

"Chaos came back with 'bout a dozen." Modo answered.

Stoker nodded moving off, keeping himself below the windows.

Her dark hair clumped together with dried blood and dirt, stuck out at odd angels. Her white fur, now more of a dusty and crimson red. "Took a beating." she said as soon as she saw Stoker. "Lost a few too many."

"One is too many." Stoker grumbled. "What do we got?"

"I got a dozen resting up in the center of the building. There's seven tanks rolling in from the range. Seventy possibly eighty on foot. About two to three dozen four wheelers, eight stilts no air." Chaos reported.

"Take a rest Chaos." Stoker padded her arm.

"Will do." She watched him hurry off. "you should too." she muttered to his back.

"Enemy ETA is three hours." A voice called from the make-shift communications.

"Radar, any word from the army?" Stoker asked, a smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah..." The small patched mouse smiled. "They're fifty miles south laying land mines and setting up for an ambush."

Stoker shook his head. "Stupidity is not limited to rats."

Radar laughed pushing his small round glasses back on his face. "Sir, Any word from Throttle or Mace?"

"Not yet. What the hell is Mace doing out in the field any ways?" Stoker asked leaning over the chair Radar sat in. The soft codes muttered over the frequencies babbled in different languages.

"When we started to set up, there was a kid prowling around. Mace set out after him, in case he was a spy." Radar explained. "Hasn't returned, no word, he didn't even have his headset on."

"Fuck." Stoker growled. "Mouse or rat?"

"Who Mace?" Radar looked up puzzled.

"No, the brat." only slightly amused at Radar's lack of intelligence, Stoker lightly whacked the kid upside the head. "Mace is a mouse."

"I know Mace is a mouse, that's why I was asking. I never saw the kid." Radar confirmed.

"Let me know if anything else comes over the lines."

"Yes sir." Radar gave a salute as Stoker strolled out of the room.

"Stoker!" Modo ran down the halls. "Three mice heading in. Looks like Throttle."

"Whose our sniper?" Stoker asked as he hurried towards the east window.

"Crosshair, She's making sure the way is clear." Modo replied as he too knelt beside the window. The two could just see three dark shadows darting from one cover to the next in a kris cross fashion. Their moves and locations, erratic and fast.

Stoker frowned as he studied the area the three had to cross. "There isn't any enemy movement out there. Why?"

Radar raced up behind them. "Sir! There's air..." BAM! The small patched mouse fell.

Modo and Stoker ducked.

"Crap! Sniper." Modo put his gun to the ledge, keeping out of the windows sight he waited.

Stoker crawled over the Radar. The small mouse throat was shot to ribbons. Blood pumped quickly from the severed artery. "MEDIC!!"

Chassis raced into the room, hitting the floor hard, she pushed her medical kit forward, belly crawling to the downed mouse. Stoker pressing his hands on Radar's throat. She moved Stoker's hands away. "There's nothing we an do."

"Damnit!" Stoker wiped his hands on the dead mouse's uniform.

"What happened?" Chassis grabbing her medical kit with her tail.

"Sniper." Modo grunted.

"Damn." she sighed still crouched she started to drag the body towards the door.

Stoker moved towards the broken furniture and mortar pieces.

"Stokes?" Modo inquired, vision still fixed on his bros stalled positions.

"Gonna cover the windows."

"Too dangerous now."

Stoker didn't reply as he grabbed a nearby chuck of wood. "Keep them in your sights."

Modo sighed but didn't respond as he waited for Stoker to fall like Radar had.

Small arms wrapped tightly around Mace's middle. More to calm himself than the child, Mace hugged the boys shoulder.

The three huddled under rubble, hiding from the sniper that tried to pick them off, and took out someone in the warehouse.

"Why the hell are you out here?" Throttle growled in a low voice.  
"Ran after a punk-rat in the warehouse during set up. Managed to get in the middle of the field before I was able to get a decent shot. By that time, my route was blocked by enemy fire. I dove into the trench and started moving when I found this thing aiming a gun at me. His brothers body behind him." Mace soft reply startled Throttle.

"Why didn't you kill the kid?" Throttle asked keeping his eyes towards the direction of the enemy sniper, trying to find the location.

"I shot someone behind him. It wasn't a mouse." The youth spoke up.

Mace gave the tawny mouse a sad weak smile. "He saved my life."

Throttle shook his head. "how old are you kid?"

"13."

"What's your name?"

"Flea."

Throttle looked to the kid. The orange red dirt covering the kids fur didn't give Throttle any clue what color the kid really should be. "Flea?"

"Yeah." Flea answered. His larger eyes scanning the area he could see.

"How good of a shot are you?" Throttle asked.

"I got the solider in the head." Flea answered.

"He missed me, comrade. That's good enough." Mace replied taking his rifle. Loading it, he set the end through a very small hole that just fit the barrel in. "Over there, by the turned over jeep." Mace pointed to Throttle, the small spy hole was just big enough for a gun nozzle to fit in. "Bet we're in his previous spot."

Throttle looked along the barrel to the cross hairs. "I got him." Squeezing the trigger, the gun recoiled hitting Throttle in the shoulder harder than he expected. "Mmph!"

Modo watched Throttle take a sniper shot. He managed to get the sniper, even Modo couldn't find the low-lifes location. The trio raced across the open terrain.

Mace slid through the door and around a corner. Almost knocking Harley over as he hurried towards the center of the building.  
"Hello to you too." she huffed watching the mouse fly, followed by a youth.

Throttle quickly bolted the door shut. Turning around he hurried after Mace.  
"Harley, got anything for recoil bruises?" he asked rubbing his shoulder.

"You used Mace's gun." she smiled rooting in her med-kit.

"Yeah, he set it up, but there wasn't much room to move." Throttle grumbled.

"Is that why he moved so fast?" she handed him a gauss square with gel squirted in the center.

"I just threatened to kill him." Throttle smirked. "Where's Stokes?" he eased the cooling gel onto his shoulder. It quickly numbed the pain.

"Upstairs. Here, take this." She handed him a couple of aspirins. "I'm a mechanic, not a medic." she winked her blue eyes.

Pills in hand, Throttle hurried to the stairs. "Thanks Harley." he called over his shoulder.

**The Battle Continues**


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: **Chaos** and **James** belongs to **Stoker1439**, **Lucas** belongs to **TerraBM**.   
_Being used without permission.__ Being used with permission._

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War!!**

_by: Whipblade_

Mace grumbled as he paced near the entrance of the cave. Going back and forth, to and fro, from one wall to the other, the rusty furred mouse with shoulder length hair grumbled darkly as he thought, waited and hoped that the trio out in the field would return. And return soon.

"You're gonna wear a trench in the floor." Flea smiled as he walked up to his friend, two warm mugs in hand. "Brought something to warm you up."

"Thanks" Mace said taking the warm mug. He stopped pacing and leaned against a wall. "I can't believe they left me in charge." he grumbled.

"Lucas and Chaos trust you." Flea replied easily sipping his drink.

"Trust me?" Mace snorted. "Trust me to run someplace safe."

"And the troops will follow you to safety." Flea injected.

Shaking his head sadly the rusty mouse drank. "I don't know bro. I expected the three to be back by now." Resting his head against the rock wall, his shoulder length hair getting caught on the rough edges. "James can be an irritating smart mouth sometimes, but I'd hate to see Stoker lose him."

Flea nodded shifting closer to the older mouse. "You just don't want to admit you miss him too."

Playfully tugging on the teens antenna, Mace smirked. "Watch your mouth, punk." he slid down the rough wall, his hair tugging, pulling forward he sat down.

Flea sat down beside his friend, laughing. "Come on, admit it." he pushed Mace.

"Never!" Mace laughed pushing back, both empty tin cups rolling on the floor.

Chassis approached the two tussling males. Clearing her throat she smiled side stepping a rolling Flea. "Mace?"

"Yeah?" Mace looked up to see the medic he'd known a month longer than Flea.

"May I have a word with you?" she asked glancing at Flea. "Alone?"

"I'll find out about it later." Flea warned as he picked himself off the floor.

"I know sweetie-pie." Chassis smiled pushing her white hair out of her face.

Flea gathered the errant cups. "I'll leave you two to flirt then." he giggled trotting off.

Mace quickly looked for something to throw at the youth, with nothing available he looked up to the medic."What can I do for you?"

She sat down leaning against the wall across from Mace. "I've been talking to the troops. Their getting worried about Lucas and Chaos. They should've been back by now."

"I know." Mace sighed. "We should just wait a few more days."

"Mace" She leaned forward catching his foot with her hand. "Two days is long enough to know they need help."

"Or not coming back." Mace muttered he turned looking out the cave entrance. The waning moons hardly lit up the night, but he could still make out the slight shadow of the enemy strong hold several miles away. After several minutes of silence he looked back to her and sighed. "We'll move out tomorrow night. One way or the other."

"Moon less night, you're catching on." Chassis smiled weakly standing. Bending down she gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I know Lucas did the right thing leaving you in charge." she walked back to the rest of the troops leaving the new field sergeant alone to ponder.

Resting his head on his bent knees Mace closed his eyes and worried.

Out side of the cave the resistance currently held up in, two rats listened and scurried. Taking silent video and snap shots of the lookout with a radio set around his neck.

Hearing the slight crunch of gravel, Mace squinted, trying to see movement outside. Reaching for his heavy sniper rifle he stood up. "Who's there?" he demanded loud enough, his voice echoed down the caves cavern.  
Three troops hurried towards the entrance. Waving them to a stop, Mace took a wary step forward. "Show your self!" He snapped with authority.

The two rats scurried away startling a small groups of feeding squirrel bats.

Mace raised his readied rifle, taking another step closer to the entrance. Small rocks and dirt tumbled from above the hole.  
Breath hitched, Mace crouched down aiming high.  
Three squirrel bats chattered as they flew into the cave.  
"SHIT!" Mace fell backwards with a start, his gun going off.

Flea and several others ran towards the entrance only to skid to a stop. Two mice snickering at Mace helping him up.

"What happened?" Flea asked. "We heard a shot."

Embarrassed Mace snapped. "Nothing!" the remaining two squirrel bats flew back out. Ignoring the one he shot, Mace hefted his rifle putting the safety on.  
He turned facing those who came ready to fight. "you" he pointed to a young mouse with a fresh face. "Watch the entrance." He ordered stalking past the group.

Flea toed the dead squirrel bat. "He could have shot something big enough to eat..."  
chuckles erupted.

Ears back Mace shoved his way towards the make shift bunks. "Bolt!" he snapped passing a small young black mouse. "Ready the troops, we're heading out tomorrow night."

"Yes sir!" Bolt smiled as he hurried off.

Grumbling "I hate this job." Mace went to bed.

The next evening brought a fury of activity. Bolt had got the word around the night before, each fighter sleeping till midday.  
Flea worked with Chassis checking over and arming each bike, making sure all wounds were mended enough for battle.  
Mace checked the ammunition supply and constantly scurried to and fro reading for the battle.

When the preparation work was done, and the troops calmed from the days activity, Mace jumped on top a table. "Attention!" he hollered. Eyes fixated on him, all movement stopping.  
The rusty furred mouse took a deep breath. _'I hate attention like thi_s' . "You've all have guessed we're taking that compound?"  
Nods and murmurs confirmed Mace's suspicions.   
"I'm no Stoker." Mace started. "Be damned I'm no warrior either. But them slimy Plutarkian boot lickers have MY friends, Your Friends, OUR COMRADES! I'll be damned if I'm gonna sit by and let them rot! I'm going to fight till my last breath to get them back! I'll Force them invaders back to the farthest star! I'll Free Mars! WHOSE WITH ME?"  
Shouts erupted, fists in air.   
"FREEDOM FIGHTERS! TO BATTLE!" Mace raised his fist, jumping down onto his bike, Mace led the charge.

The Large dust cloud didn't seem to be noticed by the lone guard in the only look out tower. That is until the battle cries became more clearer. Watching the dust get closer, his brown eyes widened. "They're insane!" He laughed radioing down to the compound commander.

Mace popped a wheelie firing his bikes front lasers at the large enemy strong hold.

Flea, on foot, stayed low as he fired at the bunker. Returning fire from mounted laser cannons and cowering enemy troops hiding behind sandbags didn't sway the small mouse from obtaining his objective. Get inside.

Without warning the enemy stopped firing, as if laying open a path to the Freedom Fighters. The bunkers defenses stopped.

Deep in Mace's gut he knew something was a foot. But he had to get Lucas, Chaos and James out of there. "THE DEFENSES ARE DOWN! FREEDOM FIGHTERS CHARGE!"  
Howls of Battle cries followed by laser blasts crossed the battle field as the mice charged the bunker. Blue lightning exploded from the bunker, crossing the battle field, reaching the last bike and fighter, then all went quiet as each bike and laser weapon became useless.

Suddenly an onslaught of darts flashed over the confused Freedom Fighters.  
Slapping his neck as if an irritating bug had just bit him, Mace glared towards the bunker. He aimed his old heavy rifle and took a shot. Then everything went black.

Two rats, the same ones who had taken pictures of the look out the previous night scoured the battle field as the Sand Raiders' dragged off able slaves and shot the weak and wounded.  
"This one!" A rat shouted pointing to the downed Mace.  
"That's the one Deeps. Let's get him inside and finish up."  
"Take his arms Tanner, I got his legs." Deeps' said grabbing the comatose mouse's legs.

Two rats, one deep tan with pink eyes and larger ears than most rats, stood above the rusty furred mouse laying unconscious on the cell floor.  
The other rat, holding down the rubber mold over the mouses face grinned. His grayish brown fur and red eyes only added to his devious personality.

"Lift it off, the impression will last." Tanner said clipping hair and fur off the mouse. "I think I have this color back at my shop. Give me three days, and I'll have that disguise done for you."

"Thanks Tanner. Owe you." Deeps grinned stepping over the mouse.

"How do I contact you Deep Shadow?" Tanner asked locking the cell door behind them.

"You don't. And you will never hear the name Shadow again." Deep informed.

"All right. Three days I'll meet you at the cave we found them in." Tanner said leaving the other rat alone among the mice.

**The War Rages On**


	3. Chapter 3

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War!**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Panting, Mace crawled up the embankment. His fur full of sand, his eyes shone with mischief as he reached the top of the dune. Spotting the Freedom Fighters returning from battle he smiled. "Perfect."   
Grabbing a small handful of sand, he stuffed it in his mouth and swallowed. Sputtering and coughing, he stumbled down the sand hill.   
"Stok...Stok...Stoker..." He coughed trying to shout with the gravel working in his throat.

"Stoker, look over there." Harley pointed towards the lone figure stumbling towards them, waving arms and falling.

"On it." Throttle shouted his bike tires spinning up sand.

Mace fell to his knees. Looking up, he saw the bike stop. A helmet clad mouse reached down. "Sto..."

"Hey bro." Throttle hopped off his bike and helped Mace stand. "Gees Mace, you're a mess!"

"They... ambush..." Mace coughed.

"Here," Throttle opened his canteen and let Mace drink. The rusty furred mouse gobbled the water like no tomorrow.  
"Easy bro you'll choke." Throttle warned easing back the canteen.

"They... the Sand Raiders, attacked us, an Ambush. Flea's gone. Lucas, everyone. I escaped by the skin of my teeth. There was five others with me, but their injuries, the sandstorm..." Leaning against the tawny Freedom Fighter Mace sobbed. "There was nothing... nothing we could do. We called for back up, we fought like hell..." He sniffled wiping his nose on Throttle's green vest. "..Out gunned.."

Throttle wrapped his arms around his bro. "Hey, it's okay... you're alive."

Stoker skidded to a stop. "Throttle who... MACE!" Stoker sat stunned seeing the lone communications officer battered and weeping. "What happened? Where's James?"

"Gone." Mace reply muffled by Throttle's chest.

Breathing in deep, Mace caught the musky scent of the tawny mouse holding him. It was far from unpleasant. Wiping at his eyes, Mace turned to Stoker. "I.. tried... Stoker... I..."

"Easy bro." Stoker took a deep breath. "Let's get back to base first."

Throttle helped Mace onto his bike. The tawny mouse didn't seem to notice the slight difference in the weight.

Dawning a spare helmet, Mace hung onto Throttle's middle. A smile on his face.

**The War rages on...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War**

**_Once upon a time on Mars_, Aftermath.**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Just because pain was present, didn't mean the war was over. The Freedom Fighters had a job to do. They still needed a purpose, now more than ever. The few dozen mice left to pick up the pieces from Mace's betrayal and Karbunkles experiments did what they could any way they could.

Stoker looked down at the ball of huddled in a corner shaking like a leaf, arms covering it's head, tail curled tightly around its scruffy pelt.  
He hated finding them. Especially now. Harley had always been the one he pawned children off on, she'd coo and comfort any sort. But now...oh now... all Stoker could do for the scared rat child was walk away. Leaving it amidst the broken ruins of a town, a home a grave yard.

Throttle sat slumped on his bike. The battle had been won. But it felt like a loss. All battles they've won or lost seemed hopelessly endless, tinged green.  
No one spoke it out loud, no one openly blamed him. But he knew secretly some did. Some who survived Karbunkles lab, some who listened to the events and knew the beginning, he could feel their eyes upon him, blaming.  
Spotting Modo off in the ways. He knew, his three trusted brothers, his girlfriend maybe even Rimfire didn't blame him, they were all caught up in the charade.

Modo pulled off his helmet. Checking himself and his bike over for battle damage.

Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, Vinnie picked his way over the town debris. Glass and rubble crunching under foot, he paused only long enough to assess Modo's bike from a stand still. "She running all right?" he asked his voice lacking any emotion.

"Purring like a dream." Modo, his lonesome voice replied not bothering to look at Vinnie.

With a nod the white mouse moved on, looking over the destroyed town they managed to rip from the Plutarkians grip. He stopped beside his tan bro. The one who seemed to be mourning for reasons only Throttle knew.  
"bro?" fresh pain emerged in Vinnie's soft voice.

Throttle turned his head, pausing only long enough to recognize his white bro. Through the tinted green field specs, now a permanent fixture on his face, like Vinnie's silver mask, Modo's arm and Stoker's tail. Things they couldn't undo, couldn't replace or change. "Yeah?" he weakly replied.

Vinnie rested his hand on Throttle's shoulder. Smiling even though it hurt, he tried to jest. "Carbine said she got word on some space ships. I think she's going to send those fish back to space on the sole of her boot."

Throttle only nodded turning away from his bro. "Find any survivors?" he asked trying not to think about spaceships.

"Yeah" Vinnie sighed with a hard look at the landscape. "Mostly rats." he spat.

Tail twitching Throttle grumbled darkly. "The mice won't be any good from here." He started up his bike.

Vinnie stepped back, he knew Throttle's reason, but couldn't bring himself to blame him. "Keep in contact bro." he said giving Throttle a pat on the back. The tawny Freedom Fighter only nodded once before shooting out over the broken landscape.

Stoker stepped around a crumbling wall in time to see Throttle zoom away. "Can't trust rats, can't trust mice.. who the hell can we trust?"  
"The Army." Carbine said as she walked up behind Stoker.  
"What's left of it." Scabbard stated. "Got a base of operations left?"  
With a sigh, Stoker turned around to face the blond red haired mouse. "Was just going to ask you the same thing."

Throttle came to a stop on top of a lower mountain range over looking what was left of Brimstone. From his vantage point he could make out Carbine breaking up a fight between Stoker and Scabbard with Modo's help, mainly protecting the ex Army sergeant from Stoker's punches.

The remaining Freedom Fighters and Army troops worked together with equipment and supplies salvaged from the Monastery, Freedom Fighters base and what the Army could cart away from the government controlled HQ.

Beyond the city, he could just make out Vincent blowing something up. Blowing off steam and anger.

"Who ever said Everything if fair in love and war should be dragged out in the street and shot." Throttle muttered to himself. "Carbine, about those space ships?" He radioed down to his girlfriend who was now tending to a wounded Scabbard. "Think they're still capable of Space travel?"

"_Could be_." Carbine's reply came over the radio. "_Need to get in one of them to see."_

**_Rock and Ride_ bros!!**

**The War moves along...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War!**

Part Five

_**By: Whipblade**_

"What do you think?" Mace asked Phantom. The two huddled close to the 'potty' hole.

"Well, it'd be crude. And it'll have to be done quickly." Phantom's hard voice whispered. Her feminine figure had gone out the window when the war started. She never considered herself a soft girl. Her hard flat stomach, and broad shoulders used to lifting heavy weapons and containers dwarfed her small breasts.  
"I just have to keep out of the guards sights." Phantom said gazing into the sewage filled hole that did not smell pretty. "The dirt will be soft. Looking at the walls, there isn't anything 'solid' beyond the floor edge."

"You're one of the smallest. They've noticed Flea already." Mace muttered, quickly glancing to the sleeping form in the corner.   
"Cut my hair." Phantom said reaching into her boot. Pulling a sliver of glass only inches wide and three inches long. "It'll keep me male for longer."  
Taking the shank, Mace nodded grabbing a clump of her medium length hair. "Sorry in advance if I cut you."

Flea woke to the horrible stench of raw sewage. The sound of sloshing water being dumped on a solid surface.  
Wrinkling his nose, the small young mouse peeked his head over the slumbering body next to him. "Phantom?" he asked seeing the familiar smoked furred mouse. "What'd you do to your hair?"  
"Shh, go back to sleep." She soothed.  
Blinking back sleep, with nothing more than a sliver of night sky peeked through the small window, not even a hand wide, complete with thick metal bars.

Dust and gravel bounced through the window, bopping Flea on the head.  
"HEY!" he scolded moving from the window.  
"Come here sweetie." Chassis stretched out her arms. Flea crawled into them. Holding the tired boy, she soon drifted off back to sleep.

Mace moved closer to the poor excuse of a window. "Hello?"

"Hey." A smooth voice sounding so much like himself it scared him.  
"Who's there?" Mace asked looking out the small slat of a barred window. A set of black boots and a rusty reddish tail was all Mace could see.  
"Doesn't matter. Just wanted to tell you something." The voice stated casually.   
"Yeah? What?" Mace sniffed, trying to get a scent from the other mouse.  
"The Freedom Fighters think you're alive."   
"Really?" Mace gasped stunned.  
Flea's head shot up trying to get a look at the outside. His ears twitching trying to hear better. Those not sleeping also strained to hear.   
"Yeah, really. They think you're alive ... and well...in their base." The voice laughed.  
"WHAT!?" shocked Mace looked horrified at the thought of someone impersonating him, someone possibly in his bed..,"No! Now way! They wouldn't think that!"  
"Oh but they do." The feet stepped back from the narrow window. "Because I'm making them believe."   
Eyes wide, Mace stared at a rat. A rat with a Freedom Fighter uniform on. Looking like he belonged in it. His red tail swishing lightly.  
"LIAR!!!" Mace screamed clawing at the window's bars.  
Phantom, Char and Nettles grabbed a hold of the furious mouse.

_SIX YEARS LATER_

Mace looked down the hall at the last of the female troops were led away to the interrogations room.  
"Mace." The no longer squeaky voice of Flea whispered. "What's going to happen after Char is gone?"  
"Don't ask!" Mace snapped leaning against the blunt wall. In truth, he had a sickening feeling Flea would be next. They had to get out of here and soon.

"Phantom?" Mace whispered to the hole.  
"Yeah?" came a gravely reply.  
"How long?"  
"Soon." then she coughed.  
"Till you die or we're done?"   
"Both." a tail swept rubble into the toilette. "I'll be though tonight Mace. Promise."  
"Thanks."  
Mace bit his bottom lip. His dull front teeth, yellowed with lack of care. He gazed to his now almost grown charge, Flea. The boy was a survivor, from the day he met him, Mace knew there was something special about the kid. Now, all Mace worried was getting the thin kid with starting facial whiskers out of their hell hole before the Sand Raiders decided to turn their sick twisted attention to Flea.

thin kid with starting facial whiskers out of their hell hole before the Sand Raiders decided to turn their sick twisted attention to Flea.

Flea blinked at their dwindling numbers. Down the hall, Char's screams stopped short.

**...And the Beat goes on and on and on...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War**

Part six

_**By: Whipblade**_

The warmth from his body enveloped him as they poured themselves into each other. His war hard chest, chiseled with fine muscles and soft thick tan fur rubbed against his own finely tuned body. Their combined panting softly echoing in the small communications room.   
They didn't do this often, but when they did, it was an explosion of male hormones and ecstasy.  
Their tongues entangled as he allowed the tawny male to dominate him. The passion of ...

"MACE!!!!" Flea screamed.

With a jolt, Mace shot up from his crouched position, his tented pants giving away his dream. Startled the rusty furred mouse looked around to see the youth in a fit of laughter beside Phantom. She was much thinner than she should be. Her eyes a liquid yellow, her fur clumped and matted with dirt and fecal matter.

"Done." She said in her sick dry voice.

"Phantom?" Mace hadn't seen the female for three long years, since she started to become sick. "Are you coming with us?"  
With a shake of her head she sat down beside the toilette hole. It was now a little bigger. They'd all be getting dirty. But it didn't matter anymore. Not a Freedom Fighter in sight couldn't fit down that hole.

"There's twenty of us left." Mace hummed standing. He adjusted his pants. "If we all go in at once..." he looked to the lone sick female.

"It will work." She croaked. "It's almost feeding time. When they leave, we start." she said sitting back down on the floor. Her legs went first. The sloppy noise of water and waste squishing down as she hid among the sewage.

Mace watched the small bowl of garbage left-overs from the Sand Raiders meal. The few scraps thrown into the cell wasn't much to fight over. Picking up a small scrap of fat Mace passed it to Flea. "Here kid, eat up."

Closing his eyes, Flea opened his mouth wide and let Mace drop the piece down his throat. Swallowing the scrape, Flea shuttered. "I can't wait till I have real food again."

The canine eyed the young, sub adult mouse. "You want real food? Come here and get some." the chubby Sand Raider laughed patting his crotch.

Flea winced hiding behind Mace. Mace glared at the drool dog. "Beat it yourself, Ugly!"

Chuckling the canine walked away. "He'll be tasting cock soon enough." he laughed over his shoulder.

Mace snarled. "I hate them." he growled. "I wish we could blow this whole place up."

"Shhhh." Phantom hushed as she slipped out of her hiding spot. "Mace, your going first. Flea, hurry. Before they check us again."

"Phantom." Mace held up his hand to touch her. She moved back quickly. Dropping his hand, he smiled. "Thank you for everything."

"Save it Mace. Now get." She smiled watching the mouse in ragged clothes hold his breath then crawl into the tunnel.

"Go on Flea." She didn't dare touch him.

"Thank you Phantom. I wish you could come with us." Flea said looking to the deathly ill female.

"I'd rather die this way, helping all of my friends then die a death in an un free way." Phantom smiled. "Now get. Before that moot comes back for you."

"You wont be forgotten." Flea proclaimed climbing into the sewage and then into the hole head first.

The Four mile journey underground with limited air and a tight squeeze tunnel filled with nineteen bodies crawling on their bellies slinking along at a snail pace crawl.

Mace popped his head out of the opening at the end of the tunnel. The blood red sky greeted his unadjusted eyes. The blast of fresh air against his face was a welcome relief from the choking dirt.   
Crawling out of the small hole that looked more like a Dessert Sand Weasel hole than an escape tunnel.

Sitting up on his knees, Mace had to look around a sand dune in order to spot the Sand Raider camp. The small bunker no longer held the lone tower. It was just a flat building that looked more dilapidated than anything. No activity surrounded the building either.  
Flea poked his head up. "Is it safe?"

"Yeah, it's safe." Mace said standing up on wary legs. Helping Flea up, The two started to scout the small area hidden by the dunes.

"Over there, bro. That's were we'd been hiding before attacking the bunker." Flea pointed out, then helping the next body. "It's safe Clunker." Flea smiled as he helped the older warrior out.

"Been a long time since I seen the sun set." Clunker said.

"It's a sun rise." Flea frowned. "We left at sun set."

"We've been moving for a long time kid. Who knows how long." Clunker frowned.

"Lets get the others out. Then start towards the new..." Mace looked towards the far away distant horizon. "Freedom Fighters base... and hope its still there."

Flea swallowed hard. "Think they all died?"

"I hope not." Mace squeezed his eyes shut. "I pray to Mars they're not."

"Lets move." Clunker called down the hole helping the next mouse out.

The group of 19 survivors shuffled over the sand strewn land. Rock cropping and small fresh craters dotted the landscape as they trudged with the sun beating down on them. A slight breeze rose up only to ruffle their matted fur.

Licking the dry fur along his mouth, Mace frowned seeing the familiar shape of the base, but the proud monastery that stood atop wasn't there. As the group trudged closer, Mace realized that the remains of the monastery had fallen down, in side the mountain.

"Mace," Flea shuffled his feet in the dirt. "Are we the last mice alive?"

Mace sighed, hand patting Flea on his shoulder. "No Flea, we aren't the last mice alive." Mace limped towards the entrance of the Freedom Fighters base. "But we are the only mice here." kicking at the small dune building up inside the rock. "This place hasn't seen anyone for a while now."

"Where should we go now Mace?" Charger asked. The gray male looked more like Vinnie. Mace caught himself trying to call the smart mouth Charger, Vinnie a couple of times, back in the day.

"Well, maybe the Army is still around." Mace hummed. Scratching at his tangled red hair, the reddish mouse hummed scanning the landscape. "Brimstone, that was the city the Plutarkians were just starting to attack."

"Sounds like a plan to head there." Charger said eyeing the sky. "Looks like a storms coming in."

Flea looked over the remaining Freedom Fighters. The others were all resting, rubbing their feet and legs.  
"Can I scout inside?"

Mace eyed the crumbling monastery. "No, we best keep moving. The rest of that building could fall the rest of the way down."

Flea nodded accepting Mace's words without question.

"Lets move." Mace waved his arm to his weary friends. No complaints or grumbles flowed Mace started south west, heading for what he hoped was still a standing Brimstone."

They stumbled closer to the buildings all 19 of them, dirty, hungry, thirsty and ready for bed years ago.  
Flea yawned as his tail curled around his body, shivering from the chilly night wind and over tiredness he dragged his feet, falling further from the lead of the group.  
"Home?" Flea asked looking up to see lights coming towards them. "Take us home?"

Skids put a thin arm around the youth. "I hope so kid. Be nice to sleep on something soft."

"Well hello." A voice called as a bike stopped.

The 19 gathered around the three bikes.

"Freedom Fighters?" a voice called from the group.

"Take us home!" someone cheered.

"Who are you?" Mace demanded. His shaggy red hair limp and matted hanged in his face.

"Freedom Fighters. Who are you?" A bike bound mouse asked.

"Escaped Sand Raider prisoners." Mace answered with half opened eyes. "Very tired, hungry and cold."

"Prisoners?" Wary the Freedom Fighter looked them over. "Don't you mean slaves?"

Flea tried to smirk. "They don't trust war prisoners to work for them."

"Names Nails. Rusty and Jet are those two. We can bring you back to the base." Nails said. Each of the bike bound mice pressed a button, engaging the side cars.

"Only 9 can ride at once." Clunker muttered.

"Come on Flea, up you go." Charger helped the youth up onto the back of Rusty's bike.

"Bro, you should ride. You're exhausted." Skids said to Mace.

"No, I can walk. Go on, get the weaker ones on. The rest can manage until they return." Mace stated.

Once the 9 were safely on the bikes, the remaining 10 started to walk the miles towards the horizon and buildings.

**...It's not over yet...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**In**

**It's War!**

**Part Seven**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Mace looked up at the blurry image of a mouse. "please..." he begged.

"Shut up!" Carbine snapped punching the rusty furred mouse across the jaw. "Where is she?" she demanded for the umpteenth time.

"I don't know..." Mace sobbed.

"Let me at him!" Stoker's angry voice snarled pushing Carbine aside. "Stupid son of a bitch!" the older brown mouse cursed. Steel fists slammed into Mace's weak body.

Tears of pain fell from the rusty colored mouse. "stop." weakly he quivered.

"Grab his ears." Stoker ordered.

Carbine, normally one to give the orders, followed. The two pulled with all their might on the two ears.

Scream of agony escaped Mace.

"He glued it on?" Stoker mused grabbing a hold of the limp antennas.

A gurgle of pain followed by vomit was the reply.

"Maybe he got a species change." Carbine mused.

"Doesn't get us any closer to Harley." Stoker frowned. Cold eyes narrowed in hate at the rusty mouse.

"We need a ripper." Carbine said turning her back on the mouse with vomit splattered on his chest.

"There any still alive?" Stoker asked closing and locking the cell door.

"Only one I know of that is alive and trained in the tactic, but I have no clue if he ever used it before." Carbine admitted.

"Who'd that be?" Stoker asked.

Throttle looked at Stoker standing not so calmly beside Charley. "You want me to what?" he asked almost disbelieving his ears.

"I need you to rip a mouse." Stoker replied.

"Rip? As in tear to shreds?" Charley inquired.

"No." Throttle's soft voice said. "To rip memories and thoughts from another mouse."

"Whoa, isn't that dangerous?" Vinnie asked recalling horror stories of his youth.

"Yeah, it is." Throttle replied. "very."

"So why does Throttle have ta do it?" Modo asked Stoker.

"Because he's the only one trained enough." Stoker replied.

"Only one?" Throttle blinked back his shock. "What about the others?"

"Their all dead." Carbine stated walking into the room. A taunt chain wrapped in her hands. "Can you do this Throttle?"

Swallowing hard. The tawny mouse nodded. "yeah, I can."

"Dead? All of them?" Vinnie turned to Stoker. "There was dozens."

"Throttle's the last one, unless he trains someone, we wont have a Rip tactic anymore." Stoker softly replied.

"Lucky rats." Vinnie growled.

A whimper caught all the mice's attention.

A black haired almost fully grown mouse, with starting dark whiskers around his face was literally pushed into the room. His silver fur glistened with the artificial lights. "This isn't fair. We're mice!" the male shouted to the mouse behind him.

"Right." Rimfire snapped pushing the kid further into the room. "The other one is holding out. I can't get to him with this one near." Rimfire said pushing the kid to Carbine.

"What's your name?" Modo asked the grown teen with hard eyes.

"Flea." Flea snapped before a chain wrapped around his neck, courtesy of Carbine.

"What's going on?" Charley asked. Never have seen prisoner mice before.

"This ones in cahoots with a rat. That's why we need Throttle, neither will talk." Carbine replied curtly as she held fast to Flea, careful not to choke him too much.

"Throttle?" Flea whimpered watching Rimfire and Stoker leave. "Throttle?"

Throttle stepped closer to the unfamiliar mouse. "You know me?"

"Yeah." Flea nodded lightly. "You saved my tail a few times. Stoker won't listen, he doesn't want to. We're not rats."

"Shut up." Carbine snapped kneeing the youth between the legs. Whimpering, Flea buckled.

"HEY!" Charley stepped forward.

"Easy sweetheart. Prisoners don't get any royal treatment." Vinnie's hand rested on the humans shoulder.

Throttle frowned unable to place Flea.

Stoker returned along with Rimfire, between them a dirty, bloody rusty furred mouse with gray terrified eyes.

Charley gasped.

Vinnie, Modo and Throttle froze. "Mace?" They growled together.

Mace looked up at the three, best he could with two swollen eyes. "bros?" he choked out in a dry voice.

"Bro this!" Vinnie snapped upper cutting the mouse hard.

Stoker's metal tail wrapped around Vinnie's arm. "We need to find Harley first. Then you can kill him."

Mace reeling in pain spat out more blood and another tooth.

Throttle stepped forward. Without a word he pushed Vinnie aside and grabbed the filthy rats cheeks. Clutching the matted fur in his fists, the tawny mouse close his eyes. His antennae's glowing a strange red, then he touched foreheads with Mace.

Withering in pain, Mace whimpered and cried as Throttle held him fast in place.

A whirl of bright colors whisked past Throttle as he forced open Mace's mind. It rested on a memory surrounded by wanting.

Throttle himself, as a teenager sat quietly beside the older red mouse looking at the many buttons and dials in the small communications room.  
Beside him Mace, slowly showing him how to operate the controls. One late night, with radio silence being a big issue for all Army and Freedom Fighter personnel.

More colors swirled as Throttle jump forward in the traitors memories.

_'Can't believe we got out of that with our tails in tact_.' Mace sighed falling hard into his soft bunk. _'I don't think I ever want to be in the field again.'_   
_'aww come on Mace. It wasn't that bad. 'Sides. You got yourself a kid_.' Throttle replied with a smile.   
The sleeping lump of youth snuggled in a corner in the room.  
_'Yeah.'_ a pause, Throttle sat down beside Mace on the bunk. _'this mean each time I go in the field I'll bring back a kid?'_ Mace asked.   
_'It happens more times than not.'_ Throttle frowned looking to the youth on the floor. '_why is he down there?'_  
_'Didn't want to risk being on the bed when the bombs start to drop_.' Mace replied resting his head on the tawny mouse. '_be nice when the wars over.'_   
_'Yeah._' Throttle draped his arm around his bro.  
The rusty furred mouse planted a kiss on the tawny cheek.  
A blush erupted on the tawny's face.  
'_Too bad your still just a kid yourself._' Mace smiled, playful gray eyes gazing at him.  
_'Says who?_' Throttle challenged.  
_'That blush on your face and I bet you're still a virgin.'_  
Tawny fur blushing, Throttle looked away.  
_'Yeah, you are. That gal in the Army your sweet on is going to enjoy training you in bed.'_  
_'hmph.'_   
_'Unless you want to learn something before you get all clumsy with her and embarrass yourself._' Mace's fingers played across Throttle's lap.  
Shifting, the tawny mouse gasped when his fly was unzipped and his cock handled. '_Want to learn something?_'  
_'yeah'_ squeaked Throttle.

Throttle skipped further, swirling colors and flashing lights till he rested on a memory of a prison.

The crowded cell, filled with Freedom Fighters, a kid and the pacing rusty furred mouse. Furious at what was happening.  
_"You'll wear a hole in the floor._" Flea warned.  
_"Maybe I want to._" Mace snapped.  
_"Take it easy sergeant, Char will be back._" Phantom soothed.   
_"Yeah? Before or after Chassis?_" Mace snapped bitterly. Then sighed. "_Sorry Phantom."_   
"_It's okay. That rat just rubbed you the wrong way._" Phantom soothed. "_No one could simply claim to be you and get into the Freedom Fighters."_   
_"I dunno Phantom. I've only been there a month._" Mace said gripping the iron bars. "_The only one I know is Throttle. Everyone else is in here."_   
_"The only one?"_ Phantom raised a brow. "_You know plenty of others."_   
_"Not intimately_." Mace shook his head. "_And we had words before I left too."_ shoulders slumped he turned to Phantom. _"I called his girlfriend a single-track-minded bitch who only cared about her needs and Mars."_  
Wincing Phantom hugged Mace. _"It's okay, we'll get out of this, some how."_   
_"I hope so."_ Screams echoed from down the corridor. _"I really hope so soon._

Throttle pulled out of the mouses mind. Blinking back the nausea from the Rip, Throttle let go of the rusty furred mouse.  
Mace fell to the floor, holding his head and moaning.

"Throttle?" Stoker called not daring to touch the tawny yet.

Ringing in his ears started to sound like his name. Blinking back the dots of colors in his sight, he looked to Stoker.  
"He doesn't know where Harley or Deep Pocket is." Throttle muttered still not moving. Taking a deep breath he cracked his neck and knelt down. "Mace?"

The glassy eyed mouse looked up at the tan. "That hurt."

"Sorry." Throttle apologized. "How long were you prisoners?"

"Six years." Flea spoke up. His tail flicking in agitation.

Hands on knees Throttle titled his head studying the mouse in front of him. "How did the rat get you to talk?"

"He didn't." Mace looked up, blinking back tears. "The one with him wasn't all rat. It did the same thing you did."

"A half-breed?" Throttle asked.

"Yeah." Mace winced. "Short antennas."

"They can't rip like a mouse. They can only go so far back." Throttle paused and frowned. "One month, maybe two." sighing, Throttle wiped his forehead. "It's okay bro." Standing up, Throttle held out his hand to Mace.

Rusty red furred hand uncertainly reached up and took it. Smiling at the firmness Throttle offered, Mace stood up. "You could have asked.."

"Still don't believe you." Snorted Stoker.

"Let Flea go, Carbine. He isn't a rat." Throttle stated.

Carbine released the grown teenager. Gasping for air, Flea stumbled forward before moving to more or less hide by Mace.

"Are you sure?" She sneered eyeing the mouse.

"Yeah... I am." Throttle moved to the table, taking a seat, he realized both Mace and Flea kept close to him.

The three sat at the table, Throttle still trying to figure out what he saw in Mace's head. "Phantom called you Sergeant.." Throttle muttered low.

"Yeah..." Mace sighed. "We found where James was taken. A sand raider hide-out -our prison- Heavily guarded, one tower in the center. Middle of open territory. Lucas put me in charge... He and Chaos went ahead, alone."

"YOU?!" Vinnie laughed. "Why you!?"

Mace hung his head. "Cause I'd be the first one to lead the group back to base..." he muttered.

"You mean rabbit?" Stoker froze, his ears raising, stiffening. Remembering.

"Yeah... second time out in the field, wasn't too thrilled, especially with Flea there." Turning his head, Mace looked at Stoker almost accusingly. "I wish you hadn't let him come."

Modo frowned. "Mace.." he cautiously started. "How did you get captured?"

Mace winced. "Because I was stupid. Instead of leaving like a good little solider, I stayed. We waited a full night and day, Hoping Lucas would return... they didn't." He sighed. "I couldn't go back, empty handed... not without James."

Stoker stepped forward, his ears fell. "You hated James" It was more of a question then a statement.

Carbine was silent, she could tell Stoker and Modo both were slowly recalling a time when Mace first joined the Freedom Fighters. A time she was still just a privet in the Army.

"Yeah, but you didn't." Mace sighed. "He was an annoying prick, but he was still a Freedom Fighter... " slumped down, sad gray eyes looked over to Carbine and Stoker. "I thought we all were. Should've known something was up when those damn rats came."

"How did James , Lucas and Chaos die?" Stoker asked, worried he didn't want to know the answer.

"I don't know, not for sure any ways, I only can guess. I never seen their bodies till much later, they were dead before I even thought about launching an attack." Mace admitted. "I do know the females were the first ones taken, tortured, raped and killed, their screams stretched on for weeks before death finally claimed them. No one said anything... not a word."

Stoker gave a nod, tears in his eyes.

Carbine pinched the bridge of her snout. Slipping between Flea and her mouse, she sat down beside Throttle. "Tell me about these rats?"

"Two of them, one named Deeps, the other Tanner." Mace started.

Throttle's ears perked, he stiffened.

"Deeps, I know there was more to his name, but no one called him anything else, he was a pure rat. Brown and gray, with cold hard eyes that'd make you're fur crawl. He had a steel trap for a mind too, pure evil." Mace said.

"Deeps watched us, all the time for a whole week. He would literally sit out side of our cell and watch our every move. No one fed us or watered us, and we only had a hole in the ground for a bathroom. He never said a word, never slept within sight either." Flea mentioned. "Just watched with that damn smug smirk stuck on his face."

Modo and Vinnie both caste each other knowing looks.

"What about the other one? The ripper?" Carbine pried.

"He was definitely a half rat, half mouse fellow. His ears were obviously docked, his snout looked like a rat who encountered one too many walls. He hid his antennae's under a do-rag. Tan, deep tan, calloused paws. Wasn't very pleasant either." Mace sighed, looking to Flea.

Flea forced a small smile on his lips, it lasted less then a second. "He picked Mace out of the group, the Sand Raiders forced us back and took Mace down the hall. The two rats followed, they were both stuck up, like they was better." Flea's hands clutched into tight fists. "We all heard screaming, the sobbing, crying... they kept him for days down there. I prayed to every Martian Over seer I could think of that'd Mace would come back... and he did." Flea turned to his bro. "Beat up, tortured and bleeding."

Mace swallowed hard. "That's where I saw James, Chaos and Lucas' bodies."

"Mace, What did Tanner do? Step by step." Throttle asked, he somehow managed to find his steady calm voice again.

"Unlike you, he didn't just grab me and tear into my whole life. He kept doing it in small amounts. Going back further and further each time. After each rip, he'd go over to Deeps, and... share... with him."

"Share?" Throttle pried.

"He'd use his antennas to share. Near the end, Deeps started to talk, sounding just like me. It... he... was terrifyingly real." Mace shivered.

Throttle bit his bottom lip. "That's not a rip Mace, that's a transfer."

"A transfer?" Carbine inquired curiously.

"Mice can only do it to other mice, but half-breeds have the upper hand, they can share with mice and rats." Throttle started. "What Tanner did, was take small does of Mace's memories, and plunk them into Deeps brain. It has to be done in small amounts otherwise you'll literally fry both brains." Removing his shades, he rubbed his eyes before replacing them. "That explains a lot."

"When did the switch occur?" Carbine asked unsure she recalled the timeline right.

"Mace wandered back about a couple or three weeks after Lucas set out. He was a ripe mess. Wouldn't let anyone look at his cuts and scrapes either." Stoker said, his eyes glazed as he remembered battles lost. "It was after that, that Harley started to shadow Barrette, our medic..."

"Barrette?" Flea perked up remember the she-mouse. "That's the one who was..." his ears fell, he shied quietly.

"Yeah Flea, she was the one who you walked in on... erm...dressing." Mace smirked reaching over and rubbing his hair. Turning, he looked somberly to Stoker. "Did she make it?"

"Not very many did." Stoker turned, he strolled out of the garage.

"Stoker?" Flea called.

"Let him go." Mace sighed bruised arms resting on the table." He needs to be alone."

Charley came forward with her first aid kit. "Mace?" She looked at the beaten mouse. "Follow me, we'll get you cleaned up."

The bruised mouse smiled. "Thank you." Raising he followed, as did Flea. Vinnie not far behind.

Throttle could tell Vinnie didn't trust Mace. After all this time, even he had a hard time swallowing their return, and innocence.

**...More to come!...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 8**

**By: Whipblade**

Mace sat on the edge of the lone bed upstairs, foot over a small trash can, he cut his long claws back into nails.

Throttle pushed open the bedroom door with his foot, carrying a pile of clothes. "Hey."

Mace didn't look up as he continued clipping. "Hey, that lady-friend of yours is sweet."

"Yeah, Charley is." Throttle set down the clothes and looked at Mace. "You look Army." he smirked.

Finished with his claws, Mace put the nail clippers aside, running his hand through his buzzed hair. "I know, but it's better than having those mats brushed out." He felt the small bare spot behind his ear. "She did a great job too."

Throttle smile. "Looks like she got too close to the back of your neck too." Throttle ran his thumb over shaved fur.

Mace smiled wanting nothing more than to push against the tawny's touch. He refrained, now was not the time, nor place. "It was easier shaving the mats out then brushing." he smirked turning to the mouse he waited so long to see again.

The door burst opened, in walked Flea. He rubbed his short hair with a towel. A blue towel slowly slipping from around his waist. "I never in my life thought I'd love to preen like a girl!" he exclaimed, his tail tossing the blue towel off him.

"Tell me about it kid." Mace gleamed, "Need the clippers?"

"Naw, I got a brush." Flea waved the yellow handled brush. "Charlene gave me it, said no one important would mind." Flea chuckled. "Hey Throttle."

"Hey Flea," Throttle said with a frown. Despite the young adult body, Flea was nothing short of skin and bones. In fact, he felt sad that the boy had spent his teenage years in a prison. However, that prison may have kept this mind young. "Flea," Throttle started thinking about training. "How sensitive are your antennas?"

Mace started to ruffle through the clothing Throttle brought.

Flea looked at the tawny healthy mouse questioningly. "Bobbles are bobbles, they hurt when they do."

"Can you sense anything with them?" Throttle asked.

"You mean like other mice and read minds?" Flea asked brushing his wavy black hair, cut short and neat.

Mace started to dress in clothing he was sure had been Rimfire's at one time.

Throttle nodded.

"Of course. Can't everyone?" Flea asked using the brush on his butt.

Throttle chuckled. "Not in the same degree as others."

Before Flea could open his Mouth the door swung open.

"I couldn't find much in your size..." Charley stopped dead as the youngest mouse turned around to face her.

Her face went red.

Flea grabbed a towel and hid himself.

"Later." Charley squeaked spinning around and leaving. The door slammed shut.

Mace and Throttle both roared with laugher, Flea blushed completely embarrassed.

Throttle wandered into the living room.

Vinnie was alone on the sofa, flipping through channels absently, ignoring all around him.

"Hey bro," Throttle sat down on the other end of the couch.

Vinnie ignored his tawny bro.

Moving to beside his bro, Throttle put his arms around Vinnie's shoulders. The white mouse didn't even flinch as he felt the warmth of his bros body against his.

"She meant a lot to you, I haven't forgotten that bro." Throttle's light voice heavy with sorrow spoke, shattering the silence that Vinnie wrapped himself in.

"Even after all this time, she still means something to you." tawny hands caressed his bros shoulders. "Don't think I don't know she still does." The white mouse didn't flinch. "Vincent, the Rat took her away. Not the _mouse_ the **RAT**." Throttle snapped twirling his bro towards him.

"Mace is a gawdamn liar!" Vinnie snapped finally breaking out of his silent hell. Facing his tawny bro he respected more than life itself. "You're protecting him as if he isn't a rat!" tears welled up in Vinnie's eyes.

"Because he isn't." Throttle firmly stated bringing Vinnie against him. "No one but Flea believes me bro."

"That's because the kid is as fucked up as you are." Vinnie snapped, his arms still dangling by his sides. Unsure if he could bring himself to hug his bro, ever again.

"Vincent... Close your eyes."

"No."

"I want to teach you how to rip."

"Why?" Vinnie sniffled blinking back tears. "Why?" He repeated.

"So you can look into Mace's head as see what I saw." Throttle sighed. Closing his eyes he rested his chin on Vinnie's shoulder. "please?" he whimpered.

Vinnie pushed Throttle back, turning his back to his bro the white mouse huffed. "Why would I want to bother to even look in that trash-filled-rats mind?"

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, Throttle opened them again and he reached out to touch Vinnie's back, only to be forcibly shrugged off. "Then..., then look into mine."

Vinnie turned slowly, eyeing his bro carefully for anything that resembled humor. "Why would I do that?"

"Because, you have to understand Vincent, if you won't go near him, at least know something I can't find the words to say." Throttle almost begged.

"I can't rip, I can hardly hold on long enough to tell a memory." Vinnie admitted with a low whimper.

"Would you trust if I showed you?"

Vinnie hung his head, looking away from his bro and back out to the sun setting outside the window. The minutes ticked away in silence except for their breathing, shaky and uncertain.

"Yes." Vinnie finally confessed. "I guess I would."

Throttle nodded. "Come here Vincent." Throttle held out his hand, hoping his bro would accept it.

Vinnie turned slowly around, grasping his bros out stretched paw, he forced himself to take a step he disapproved of all his life. "Kay bro. Show me what you want to."

Throttle nodded, moving closer to Vinnie, he brushed his hand against Vinnie's soft furry cheek, then held him behind the ear. The other hand resting on Vinnie's' jaw line. "Close your eyes, relax." Throttle instructed as he leaned forward, his antennas glowing a faint red as they pressed against the root of Vinnie's antennas.

The world became a blast of colors, so many and so bright that Vinnie couldn't name them all if he could. The colors vanished, replaced by the small communications room.

_'Mars?_' he asked, his hollow voice echoed once, rippling the image like a drop of water in a puddle.

_'shhh'_ Throttle's equally hollow voice shushed' watch.'

_"That was one hell of a fight." Mace muttered flopping down on his bunk. _

_"Wasn't any different than the others." Throttle smirked pushing the red mouse's legs over. _

_"What?" surprised Mace eyed the tawny mouse. "That was horrible! The whole village! The death... the destruction.. "_

_"It wasn't as bad as Riders Ridge. The pass was wiped out in three hours, no one escaped." Throttle sighed._

_Mace flopped backwards on the bunk. Flopping his arm over his eyes. "Don't even tell me about it. I don't want to hear it." _

_"Kay"_

_Steel gray eyes peeked from under his arm. "Is adopting kids a normal thing during battles?" Mace's voice shook slightly. "Adopting no, bringing them to a safe place, yes." Throttle sighed._

_"Less and less safe places to bring them." Mace swallowed hard. "Fleas just a kid."_

_"He's 14."_

_"Stoker isn't serious about letting him stay... is he?" _

_"Worried about a kid bro?" _

_Mace kicked off his boots with his feet. "No. Just saying he's plenty young."_

_"So is Vinnie, and Rimfire for that Matter."_

_"Little Rimmy isn't a Freedom Fighter. Modo would kill you just for implying it."_

_Throttle chuckled. "They'll both kill you for calling him Little Rimmy."_

_Mace chuckled. "Yeah they'd try." He sat up, wrapping his arms around Throttle's shoulders. "But you'd protect me."_

_Throttle shrugged off Mace. "You'd better give me a darn good reason to beat up by bros." _

_Mace grinned slyly regaining his balance. Slipping his arms around his bros' tawny waist he hummed. "Oh I could give you plenty a good reasons..." His fingers started unlatching Throttle's belt. _

_"Plenty?" _

_"Plenty." Mace promised giving small kisses along Throttles sides._

_'I don't want to see this._' Vinnie's voice rippled the image, like a drop in a puddle.

_'shhh_' Throttle again hushed.

_Turning around Throttle took hold of his bros face. Locking mouths, the two fell backwards. Tawny crawling atop of red, still mostly clothed. Fingers feeling through fur, pawing and moving against each other. Gasping at the heat between them._

_Stoker pushed over the communications door open. "Mace, You seen Throttle any..." He froze._

_Both shocked, blushing faces turned to see their idol standing in the doorway. _

_Flea peering around Stoker._

_"St...stoker..." Throttle stammered. _

_Mace couldn't bring himself to utter a single sound. _

_"Never mind." pushing the kid back, Stoker shut the door. Leaving the two alone._

_"Well, that killed the mood." Mace finally muttered. _

_Humming in agreement Throttle rolled off his bro. Standing he did up his fly and belt. "Hungry?"_

_"Not now." Mace sighed sitting up. "More of wanting to be sick." _

_"Best go find what Stoker wants." Throttle sighed smoothing his fur, he opened the door. _

_Glancing back he saw Mace still stunned on his back. Almost invitingly. _

Opening his eyes, Throttle looked at Vinnie. "That wasn't the first and it wasn't the last." He said softly.

Vinnie sat back, almost wanting to make a sarcastic comment, at the same time wanting to laugh and puke. Getting to his feet, "Better get those thoughts purged bro." the white mouse muttered, stalking away from his bro.

"Vincent..." Throttle took a deep breath, watching Vinnie storm off. "That's not what I meant bro..." Hanging his head, eyes closed tight. "Not what I meant."

**..There's much more!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**in:**

**It's War!**

**Part 9**

_By: Whipblade_

Mace wandered downstairs. Looking around he noted Throttle's bike had vanished along with Modo's, Rimfire's and Stoker's.

"Hello?" He spotted the red racing bike. "Vinnie?" No one replied. Strolling to the kitchen, he got himself a glass of juice, picking up the newspaper on his way by the table he headed into the living room where Vinnie sat watching the TV channels flick.

"Hey." Mace greeted setting down his paper. Taking a drink he sank into the easy chair. "Vincent right?"

"It's Vinnie." The white mouse snapped, turning to see the groomed red mouse. "What'd Charley do? Run a lawn mower over you?"

Mace's ears fell. "It looks that bad?"

Vinnie paused. '_The traitor was asking him a question?' _. "No." He finally admitted. "Just different than that scruffy look you've sported."

Mace frowned trying go figure out what Vinnie meant by that. "Better or worse?"

"Better. Army doesn't suit you, but better." Vinnie shrugged not sure why he was telling the rat he looked okay.

Mace sat down in a chair not too far from Vinnie. The white mouse scooted over away from him. Mace sighed as once again Vinnie chose to ignored him. Ears flicked back, he knew not all the mice accepted his innocence. Yet the hostility and hate in the white mouse, brought only silence and worry to the red furred mouse. In an attempt to warm the ice, Mace tried a little light conversation.

"I don't remember a lot about you... mind telling me about yourself.., Vinnie?"

"No." Vinnie snorted.

With a frown Mace pondered a topic he could get the white mouse talking about. Something in his memory flashed. A white mid-teen mouse awkwardly trying to strum up a conversation with the mechanic Stoker was bedding with. A sly smile spread over his face.

"That female, Charley, she's something else." Mace stated, his grey eyes watching for Vinnie's reaction.

Vinnie stiffened. "Yeah, she is."

Mace smiled. He found the topic that would get less hostile words out of Vinnie. "Can you tell me about her?"

Red eyes narrowed, they'd have glowed red if they weren't real. "Why?" Vinnie snapped sharply.

"She's a human." Mace said his voice light and cheery. "How did she end up in our war?"

Vinnie looked at Mace. He expected the traitor to want more information than a story. "We saved her."

Leaning forward Mace smiled broadly. "How? Why?"

Taken aback at the sudden enthusiasm the red mouse/rat was displaying, Vinnie carefully gauged Mace for anything that would send up a red flag of traitor behavior.

"She was being bugged by one of Limburger's goons. We happened to ride in, in the nick of time." Vinnie said waving his hand casually.

"Who's Limburger?" Mace asked.

Vinnie froze. "Your not serious, are you?" he gawked at the red rat.

"I don't know who Limburger is. I take it he's human?" Mace asked, innocence plastered on his face, in his eyes.

Vinnie fumbled for words. "He's a Plutarkian... one from Mars."

Mace paled he whimpered "From Mars? They're attacking this planet too?"

"Yeah, they are." Vinnie looked away.

Mace looked to his feet. "That's why Charley is fighting with us? To save her own planet?"

Vinnie gave a nod. "She's not that selfish. She's been to Mars a couple of times, helping us help ourselves."

"Really?" Mace perked. "She helped us? I mean our planet?"

"Oh yeah!" Vinnie smiled noting Mace was soaking up everything he said. But not in the sly way Mace used to, in a new eager way, as if enjoying knowing and putting together puzzle pieces. Instead of the calculating cold way Mace used to. "Limburger tried to use this big magnet-like-machine to drag asteroids towards Mars. Charley fixed our bikes six ways from Sunday. We saved the day! And temporarily brought water to Mars."

"Rain..." Mace gasped. "I remember Rain! We couldn't get at it, but we..." Mace looked away suddenly ashamed as what he was about to say.

Vinnie frowned. _'Maybe this isn't the rat.' _"You what?"

Mace looked at his well-groomed toes again. "We...stuck our fingers out the crack for a window, just to touch it." Mace's voice was low.

Vinnie blinked. "To touch it?"

"We tried to get it to drip into our cell, but it didn't accumulate enough to." Mace admitted he still couldn't look at Vinnie. "It was the first time Flea and many of the others ever saw water fall from the stars."

Vinnie became quiet, staring disbelievingly at the red furred mouse ashamed of getting excited over something most would find trivial. "Rimfire never saw rain before that either."

Grey eyes peeked up. "Really?"

Charley peered around the corner. She smiled as Mace and Vinnie both talked, somewhat miffed at each other's stories and reactions. She let them be, sneaking quietly back upstairs hoping to find someplace for Mace and Flea to sleep.

**Is Vinnie really buying Mace being a mouse?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Biker Mice From Mars**

**in:**

**It's War!**

**Part 10**

_**By: Whipblade**_

"It's bits and pieces with us." Carbine continued as she, Charley and Vinnie sat around with Mace and Flea's intense interest on them.

"I've heard it all from others." Charley said. "Carbine wasn't there for all of it. The bros have their own versions too. All along the same lines."

Mace looked to Vinnie, almost begging that is wasn't true. "The rat... really fooled you all?"

Vinnie couldn't look Mace in the eyes. The mouse just couldn't accept the fact that he was replaced and no one was the wiser. "Yeah, it's true." he sighed sadly.

Flea bit his bottom lip. He looked at them, almost as if it was a taboo topic. "Can you tell us anyways? So we know what happened, why you're so angry?"

Mace's ears fell. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear this. Wasn't sure how he could stomach such a true tale filled with lies and war. A war he practically missed.

"Mace?" Vinnie nudged the red mouse's foot. "Do you want to hear this too?" he asked quietly, cautiously.

"Yes." Mace finally muttered. "I have to know how... even if I can't figure out why."

Carbine settled closer to the red mouse. Her hand resting on his shoulder.

Mace looked at the delicate fingers on him. He knew he had no hope now, maybe never did have a chance at Throttle.

Vinnie started. "When you left with Lucas's party, Stoker's tail was in a knot for days, worried about James. We still fought, we had a war to win, and the battles seemed to be going in our favor. When ... Mace... came back, he was a mess. Told us about a fight that they couldn't win. But Lucas was determined to keep fighting. The kid fell, that's when he turned tail and ran."

Mace's eyes squeezed shut. He turned away from Vinnie, shrugging off Carbine's hand. She quickly replaced it, her thumb rubbing against his neck softly.

"Couldn't really tell much of a difference. Mace was quieter than before. Stayed more to the edge of the activity inside, when Stoker mounted us up for the next battle. Mace wasn't keen on going, but did... it was during that battle... I don't know what happened, but Mace was base bound from then on."

"Throttle said Mace froze. He didn't even get off the ridge where the Freedom Fighters formed ranks before charging. Stoker had swung back around to talk with Mace. But the ... rat.., wouldn't budge. He was sent back, alone." Carbine injected.

Vinnie gave a nod. "Stoker was absent at the start of the battle. Not that he was missed mind you." Vinnie chuckled.

Mace caught on to something he hadn't before. "You...don't like Stoker?" he questioned thinking.

Vinnie fell silent.

Carbine chuckled. "What gave you that impression?"

Mace blinked. "No... You did... until... that blonde gal." he hummed trying to remember more. "What was her name? The one Stoker was banging, but she was sweet on you too, wasn't she?"

"Yeah she was." Vinnie muttered. "Harley."

"She comes in a little later." Carbine stated trying to get the conversation back on track.

**HOURS LATER**

Vinnie stood up, having tired of Mace prying questions. The red mouse sat alone in the living room, quietly contemplating all that he heard.

"What cheers you up?" Carbine asked casting a glance at the red mouse looking lost.

"Shopping." Charley smiled.

Carbine gave a nod. "Good, let's do that."

Charley smiled. "All but Vinnie hates shopping and even then it's a prolonged battle to just get new threads." She said jumping into her tow truck.

"That's why you need a girl down here." Carbine giggled getting in on the passenger side.

Vinnie looked at Flea. "Hey, kid." He elbowed the silvery mouse.

Flea looked over to Vinnie. He couldn't say anything just yet.

"Ever ride a bike?" Vinnie asked with a smile.

"No..." Flea muttered.

"Come on, I know something you'd like." Vinnie waved the kid over, together they roared out of the garage.

Mace sat watching the garage door close, he couldn't help but feel what Carbine and Throttle meant to each other. His mind couldn't wrap around the fact that he was replaced, and now ignored.

**...Free falling emotions...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 11**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Throttle wandered around the garage. _Finally! No one was there, some peace and quiet._

"Vinnie and Flea are exploring the city. Rimmy and Modo took Stoker out for a while, Carbine and Charley left an hour ago to do girl stuff." Mace called from the kitchen.

Throttle frowned. _'Damn, not a lone after all.' _he thought, almost bitterly.

"Just leaves us two." The rusty furred mouse sauntered closer.

"Hey Mace," Throttle said with less enthusiasm.

The red mouse didn't look at the tawny one. His mind had been playing on something since Charley and Carbine left him alone. "Look, bro I'm sorry, okay." he confessed with much sorrow hanging off his words.

"Sorry?" Completely confused Throttle tilted his head to the side. "For what?"

"For calling your lady a selfish-bitch, among other things..." he trailed off.

"When..." Face scrunched up, trying to remember. Then it hit him. "Mace, that was close to seven years ago!"

"Yeah, well... still. I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, Throttle pulled his rusty furred bro to him. "You worried about that? For six years?" he was amazed, maybe even shocked.

"Hey, you took her. I don't blame you. You're the family type." Mace shrugged, enjoying the embrace. Wrapping his arms around the tawny mouse he sighed. "You've changed." he whispered.

"So have you." Throttle muttered, smelling the shampoo and the scent of Mace. A scent he had long forgotten.

"You're still short." Mace playfully rubbed Throttle's antennas.

"And you're a sack of bones." Throttle commented sadly.

"Eating... what we had to wasn't exactly appetizing." Mace said letting go of his bro. Walking back to the kitchen, he opened the fridge and grabbed another can of juice.

"That isn't root beer." Throttle said.

"I know. Your lady friend, Charley said it would help more than soda and hotdogs."

"What does Sand Raiders eat, anyways?" Throttle asked. "Mice have been living on rations forever it seems."

Mace paled. Jamming the straw into the hole of his juice box, he sighed. "Throttle, it's a prison. We didn't ask what we ate. But we knew damn well what it was."

Throttle's curious head tilt made sigh. "You still have some of that naive ness in you." he gave a tight smile setting down his drink.

Throttle couldn't say a word. He just moved closer to Mace.

Mace pressed up against the tans body, arms wrapping around Throttle tightly as his injuries would allow. "Mice bro, we ate mouse meat."

Sucking in a deep breath, Throttle held onto Mace. "I was hoping it'd be dog meat."

Leaning his head on his bros shoulder he sighed. "Yeah, I never told Flea. If he figured it out, pity. If he just ignored the fact one mouse vanished the same day every few weeks, good for him. Either way, when I saw those bodies in that damn cooler of an interrogation room. I knew just what we were being held for. Prisoners my ass." turning his head away, he leaned his cheek on Throttle's bicep.

Throttle closed his eyes tightly, his brain trying not to wrap around what the red mouse was saying. He just lightly rubbed his bros back, mindful of the cuts and bruises that Carbine and Stoker had inflicted. "You wont be going back there again Mace. I promise."

"I know." Mace whispered pulling his head off Throttle's shoulder; Mace looked his bro in the shades. "You had really pretty eyes."

"You still do." Throttle muttered, without thinking, their mouths met. Both leaning into the kiss neither expected nor stopped.

Stoker hopped off his bike, grumbling. "Who ever invented Fishing and called it fun needs to be dragged into the street and shot!" The rear of the Last chance Garage had better parking for a strange Motorcycle than the front. Fewer questions asked by annoying neighborhood teens, adults, kids and old ladies a like.

"Watching a red ball bob in water isn't fun!" he continued ranting, to no one but himself. "Now, tossing a grenade into the lake, that'd be fun!" He opened the back door, strolled in and froze.

In the middle of the room, stood Throttle and Mace, bodies meshed together in a deep embrace. Anger Flared inside the old war hero.

**... Who will survive and what will be left of 'em?...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 12**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Anger bubbled its way up from deep within the older mouse. Teeth set and fists balled, the Freedom Fighter founder stopped over and pulled the two males apart.

Stunned, Throttle looked at Stoker's furious face. In a flash, he saw stars.

Mace wheezed as Stoker's metal tail coiled around his neck, bringing him to his knees. Clawing at the metal, trying to loosen its death grip, Mace thrashed as Stoker practically ignored him.

Reeling in pain, Throttle lashed out with his fists, striking Stoker in his face then collarbone.

Growing weaker, Mace knew he had to do something. As Stoker and Throttle punched at each other, Mace kicked out, connecting with the back of Stoker's knee. The older mouse went down.

Throttle took the opportunity and elbowed Stoker between shoulder and neck.

With a grunt of pain, Stoker's metal tail swung sideways before whipping its captive across the far wall. With a crash, Mace landed hard against the tool bench.

"What's the matter with you!?" Throttle yelled blocking a punch.

With one out of the Way, and recovered from Throttle's elbow, Stoker tackled the tawny mouse. "You and **_him_**!" he snarled.

Off balance, Throttle's back hit the wall hard. Above him, the tires rattled in their brackets.

The two struggled for the upper hand, Stoker finally snaked his tail around Throttle's wrist.

"You've made your choice punk!"

"What are you talking about!?" Throttle grunted, the metal tail squeezing his arm.

"Carbine." Stoker pushed back from the other mouse.

Throttle pushed off the wall, decking Stoker in the shoulder. "I love Carbine!"

"Then Act like it!" Stoker yelled, kicking Throttle in the mid-drift. Breathless the tan mouse slammed back against the wall.

The brackets wiggled out of their mountings, tires fell a top Throttle as Stoker leapt out of the way.

Leaving Throttle buried and unconscious.

Stoker made his way over to the traitor.

Groaning, the red furred mouse looked up to see Stoker's more than furious face glaring down at him with fisted paws and lashing metal tail.

Stoker reached down grabbing the cowering traitor by the front of his tattered shirt.

When Throttle came too, the garage was a disaster. Stoker and his bike had vanished, and so had Mace.

Shaking the cobwebs out of his head, he went to push a tire off of him. Blinding pain screamed in his arm. Seeing his right arm swelled and bruised with a strange new bump just below his bandana. That bump and the pain was all Throttle needed to know. His arm was broken.

"STOKER!!" He called out. Only silence replied. "MACE!?" Nothing answered back.

The shinning sun in the window told him he'd been out less then three hours. Kicking at the tires, trying to keep his hand still, Throttle crawled out and over the tires, wincing and cursing every time his freaking fingers, wrist or muscle flexed or moved.

Standing Throttle took stock of the battle zone. Blood dappled the walls, splattered the tires, smeared the floor and dripped from tools. A clump of red fur hung off the end of a tire iron.

Picking the piece of fur up, Throttle examined it. "No blood, no skin, looks like Stoker must have just missed hitting Mace with this." Dropping the fur, Throttle looked around. "NO sign of Mace. Hope he's okay." Limping out of the garage, Throttle got on his bike.

Modo and Rimfire both looked up as Throttle practically crawled into the scoreboard.

"Stoker?" He called, before seeing Modo and Rimfire.

"He isn't here." Rimfire said, watching as Throttle limped to his bunk.

"Bro? You all right?" Modo stood walking over to his bro.

"I think so." Throttle said sitting heavily on his bunk. "Arms' broke."

"Ah see that. Who'd you tangle with?" Modo asked grabbing a nearby medical kit.

"Stoker." Throttle sighed as Modo started to clean his cuts.

"How'd he fair?" Modo asked amusement in his eye.

"I don't know. I.." Throttle hissed as iodine leached into a cut. "Coach dumped tires on me. I don't know what happened to Mace."

Modo continued to clean the cuts on his bros hands and face. "Throttle, the girls will be back soon. When they do Rimfire and I'll go look for Stoker."

"Stoker isn't the one I'm worried about." Throttle sighed.

"Áhy know."

"I can look after myself." Throttle protested as Modo continued to fuss for nothing. "Take Rimfire and check the garage, Mace wasn't in good shape to being with..."

Modo stood back; he looked at Throttle and frowned. "Ah guess Rimfire and Ah can." He turned away from his bro.

Rimfire was already on his bike looking happy to be able to do something for the beaten mouse.

Modo and Rimfire stopped at the rear of the Last Change Garage. Upon opening the back door, they froze. "Mace?" Modo called unsurely looking at the disarray.

Rimfire slid past his uncle. Stepping over broken chair pieces, scatted drinks and a few broken dishes, "Mace?" Rimfire hollered.

Modo walked around his nephew who stood looking at the scattered remains of fight victims. Walking closer to the work area, Modo paused, sniffing. "Blood." he grunted with a frown.

"Fresh." Rimfire muttered sniffing too.

"Yeah..." Modo hummed.

Mace cowered in the small office. In case Stoker had brought recruitments to help finish him off. He had only woken moments ago, out side in the dumpster, not even sure how he had gotten there. He hid inside; hoping maybe the human wasn't as hostile towards him as the rest of his own kind was.

"Uncle Modo..." Rimfire's hushed voice brought the big gray mouse to the open door of the office. Rimfire pointed to the small tail tip exposed to the light, its owner obviously hiding under Charley's workbench.

"Mace." Modo called gently. The tail slipped back under the bench. Sighing slightly amused, Modo walked over, stopped, then bent down. "Mace?"

Mace looked up, horrified.

Modo stumbled back. "Bro?" his metal hand grabbed Mace's arm, pulling the frightened mouse from his hiding spot.

"Oh grandma!" Rimfire gasped.

On top of just starting to heal injuries, were more. Mace's swollen black eyes were now cut wide open, his lip busted and puffy both cheeks swollen from more abuse. His hands cut up into a bloody mess of defensive wounds. But the worse was his neck. Lacerations looking like rope burn bruised, swelled and bled from this throat. His clothing was dotted with blood from the fight. A fight he was too weak to win.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Modo said gently helping Mace out of the messed garage.

"..throttle..." Mace's voice rasped.

"He's at the hang out." Rimfire said taking Mace onto the front of his bike. Letting the thin, wounded mouse lean against him, supported by the bike as well, they raced to the scoreboard. Modo in the lead.

**..Ouch!... Where is Stoker?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 13**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Vinnie hung onto Flea's middle as they practically flew into the hangout.

The youngest mouse driving slammed on the breaks leaving skid marks and the smell of burnt rubber in their wake.

"YYEAAAAHHH!" Hollering Flea jumped off the bike. "Did you see that! That was awesome!!! I flew right over that over pass! I don't know who was more scared. The old lady in the car I bounced off of, or me!"

Vinnie laughed patting the kid on the helmet. "I think I was." Vinnie smiled dismounting "Good run." he said going to the kitchen area, grabbing two-chilled soda's from the fridge.

Throttle smiled slightly watching the young Flea absorb everything Vinnie said and did. "Vincent" he called his voice still a little hoarse.

"Yo bro?" Vinnie turned his head while guzzling his drink.

"Is the kid still young enough?" Throttle asked.

Eyeing Flea thoughtfully, going over the days events in his head, the white mouse shrugged. "You can mold 'em, but I don't know if you can get too far."

Throttle nodded, thinking.

Flea looked between the two. "I'm standing right here." he huffed.

"He's trying to evaluate you for Ripping." Vinnie muttered low. "Mind your manners."

Flea blinked dumbly. "Really?"

Two bikes roared in just then. Modo hopped off first to help Rimfire with his unconscious cargo.

Between them, they carefully carried the battered red furred mouse.

"Where's Charley?" Modo asked as he and Rimfire laid Mace on the couch.

"Still out with Carbine... why?" Vinnie asked, before seeing the state the traitor was in. He winced. "He still alive?"

Rimfire looked to the white mouse. "For now."

"What happened?" Vinnie asked walking over to see the red furred rat, looking like another casualty of war; a casualty that wasn't going to make it though the night.

"Stoker did." Throttle grunted.

"Stokes?" Rimfire whimpered.

"I'll radio the girls." Flea said watching the blood drip onto the floor.

**Only Minutes ticked by, but for the mice trying to stop the bleeding, it could have been a life time. **

Charley and Carbine both rushed into the hang out. Medical texts, first aid kits and flat plastic splints laid in wait for the ladies.

Charley took one look at the red furred on the sofa, dripping blood, moaning in pain. Her voice went hard, her orders barked, and all mice followed her orders quickly and efficiently.

As the rush and determination wind down, Charley sighed. "He'll be okay now."

Carbine smiled. "You ever think about being a general?"

Throttle chuckled as he limped over from his bunk. "She'd make a good one too, if she wasn't babying our broken bones all the time..." he sat down in the lazy boy. "Speaking of which..."

Charley turned to see the sweet boyish grin on Throttle's face, his broken arm looking more like a dog's broken paw.

"Carbine can you mix this for me, please?" Charley asked the real General.

"You bet." Carbine answered, keeping quiet as Charley touched and mended Throttle's broken bones.

"OW!" Throttle shouted, as his bone was set.

"Sorry, you're lucky, only the Ulna is broken." Charley said wetting the cast material and placing it over the cotton bound around Throttle's arm.

"One out of two, ain't bad." he gave a small boyish smirk, before wincing in pain.

"Just means the bigger bone is going to be a natural splint. You'll have to wear a cast for a little while though." expecting to hear the whines, moans, complaints and belly-aching Vinnie and Modo did when she had to cast their injuries way back in the day... Throttle said nothing, just gave a nod.

"What happened anyways?" Carbine asked as Throttle held his arm still for Charley.

"Stoker." Throttle winced. "Blew up over nothing."

"Nothing?" Carbine pried.

Throttle sighed. He looked to her, silently begging to drop it, for now.

She knew the look, with a mute nod she understood. "We should find Stoker." Carbine said.

"Where would Stoker be?" Rimfire asked.

Vinnie smirked. "Probably kidnapped and being held at Limburger tower by now."

Laughter erupted... then promptly died as they realized, Stoker had been gone a long time. And Rimfire **Was** _STILL_ there".

"Vinnie, Modo, Rimfire with me. Flea, you're staying here. Charley..." Carbine turned to the human.

"You may need my help." Charley said finishing Throttle's bandages.

"When Mace wakes up, give him these and make sure he drinks plenty of water." Charley instructed.

"Okay. I'll radio you if Stoker manages to come back on his own." Throttle smirked.

"Not very likely." Vinnie quipped.

The battle ready party roared out of the Scoreboard.

Throttle leaned back and sighed. '_How the hell do I explain this to Carbine... let alone to everyone else?.'_

**Did Stoker get Mouse-nabbed?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 14**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Stoker Glared at the fish in front of him. True, his memories had been scrambled since being brain-washed by Karbunkle during the dark days of the war. But Stoker still remembered the reek of every single Plutarkian he had ever dealt with. Limburger had been one of them, one Stoker remembered fucking up most things Stilton set into Motion.

"Still wearing that ugly purple suit I see. Too bad the face isn't much of an improvement either." Stoker sneered from his tethers. The wind tossed his long amber hair, ruffling his fur.

"Shut up you primitive ill-mannered vermin!" Limburger snapped. "With you here, the other mice will surely roll up the tower and into this trap dear doctor Karbunkle had set up, and once they do... SNAP!!" laughing and snorting, Limburger turned away from the old mouse. "Three trapped mice!"

Stoker eyed the net laying on the roof warily. "Are you sure it's big enough?"

Limburger stopped laughing. "Of course it is!" He shouted.

Stoker hummed. "I don't see how three motorcycles are going to fit into that small net."

Limburger turned to the net and studied it, carefully pondering the old rodents' words. After a few silent moments, Limburger shouted. "GREASE PIT! Put down another net!"

The oily goof sliding on his own drippings sloppily saluted. "Duh yes mister Limburger!"

Stoker watched as the silly goon over lapped the nets, rendering them useless.

"Don't need one of them escaping." Limburger reasoned as he stepped away from the edge.

Stoker only smiled. "Of course not." He muttered under his breath.

Throttle made a sling for his arm out of his bandana. Keeping a close eye on Mace, who had yet to fully wake. Throttle moped around the hangout feeling trapped.

Outside there was a fight taking place. A battle he wasn't part of it.

Flea peered over the couch, looking at Mace's poor battered body. "Throttle?"

The tawny mouse jumped, trying not to look startled, he turned to see the young adult he forgot was still in the hangout. "Yeah?" he coughed clearing his throat.

"Is Mace going to be alright?" Flea asked sitting down on the coffee table.

"He should be. Charley is great at patching us up, and our bikes." Throttle replied studying the young silver-gray mouse. "Flea... do you want to learn how to rip?"

Flea smiled slowly. "Sure... will it hurt?"

"No." Throttle smiled reassuringly.

"Okay!"

"Come over here." Throttle motioned Flea to follow as he led the way to his bed. "The couch would be better, but I'm not moving Mace yet." Throttle explained as he sat down.

"Makes sense." Flea summed as he sat beside the tan mouse.

Carbine, Vinnie, Rimfire and Modo charged up the sides of Limburger tower. The silo wet of a tethered Stoker made them all sizzled in rage, and see the obvious trap. Each bike bound mouse took a different side of the building.

Simultaneously they appeared over the edges and landed on the roof. Only poor Rimfire was unlucky enough to land in the trap. Grease pit pulled the rope, the two nets tangled as Rimfire road free without a hindrance from the trap. Goons, was a different story.

Total Chaos erupted as the trap failed.

The goons all pointed towards Rimfire's landing position, started to shoot at the lone young mouse. Then they realized they were being shot at from different directions.

The more the goons fired at the mice, they more they took each other out.

The goons' fortunate enough not to be shot by their own, had to maneuver out of each others' way, trying to chase the irritating multiple rodents. The confused goons crashed into each other trying to confront the enemy.

Carbine swerved around two crashed four wheelers, lasers locked she fired her guns at Stoker's arm restraints. Stoker winces as he hands were freed. Rubbing his wrists he twisted to unbind his tail restraints. Like a metal whip, his tail lashed violently against the poles securing his legs.

Modo aimed is arm canon at Stoker's ankle binding. He shot once, Freeing Stoker.

Vinnie whipped by, tossing Stoker a laser pistol.

Catching the gun with both hands, Stoker looked around for his target.

Limburger tiptoed towards the exit. He slinked along the edge of the wall. Hand on the emergency bar.

Stoker aimed, holding the gun with both hands, to steady his shot.

Carbine zoomed past the older mouse, her tail wrapping around his middle, dragging him onto the back of her bike.

Stoker gave a shout as his shot went wild. Hitting a satellite dish, it wobbled before falling a lot a group of goons, just about untangled from a previous goon-caused wreck.

"Meant to do that." Stoker stated with a cocky grin. He hung onto Carbine's middle as she headed for the edge of the roof.

"We've got what we came for! Let's ride!" Carbine shouted to the other mice.

With a final flare of battle, the biker Mice and Rimfire followed Carbine off the Limburger Tower.

"Should we knock it down?" Rimfire asked.

"Not without Throttle." Modo replied.

"Tradition, we all need to be here." Vinnie laughed popping a wheelie as he landed.

Carbine turned off her helmet radio. Well ahead of the rest of the mice, she adjusted her mirrors to see Stoker's face. "Why'd you kill Mace?" she asked.

"I killed him?" Stoker sounded surprised, but didn't look it.

"Almost, Charley saved him." Carbine stated her voice calm and cool.

"Do you know Mace and Throttle have a history?" Stoker asked curiously.

"No." Carbine's hands gripped the handlebars harder. "How much of a history?"

"Enough of one." Stoker sighed. "Just around the time Throttle met you. The night Lucas set out, Throttle and Mace shared some harsh words..., about you."

"You don't say?" Carbine's interest perked. She had never known any of this.

"Throttle wanted you, not Mace. Mace wasn't all that keen on getting... tossed to the curb by a kid." Stoker frowned. "I don't know if Mace went with Lucas because he was furious and hurt, or because he really wanted to help get James back. Either way, I'm guessing Mace led the failed battle because he had nothing to look forward to at base."

Carbine felt Stoker lean against her with a sad sight. Turning on her helmet radio she watched the others came closer. "So why then?"

Stoker hugged her middle, trying to comfort her. "Let's just say... you would have done the same."

A small sob-like-gasp escaped Carbine's throat as she turned into the Quigley field parking lot.

Charley watched the mice driving around her. They seemed subdued. Not one to normally feel like an outsider on these Earthly visits, she seemed to be just that this time. Listening to the silence over the radio, the lone human realized she wasn't the only one being ignored.

Vinnie sped beside Charley's tow truck. Swerving cars and pedestrians alike, his mind tried desperately to wrap around the concept of an Innocent Mace.

He believed the mouse wasn't the rat.

Ahead of the group, Carbine with Stoker riding bitch lead the way to the secrete hideout entrance.

Vinnie expected to find Mace dead, Flea weeping and Throttle just as miffed. But then Throttle felt Stoker's fury as well.

It made Vinnie wonder just what wasn't being said to them.

Rimfire slid up beside his uncle. "Is your radio dead?"

Modo hummed listening. "No. Stoker and Carbine have theirs turned off." He replied

"Why?"

"Probably don't need us hearing Carbine belly-aching about Stoker's temper." Modo shrugged also wondering just what was going on.

**Divided they shall Fall**


	15. Chapter 15

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 15**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Throttle looked up with haze filling his vision. Beside him Flea still blinked back the spots of a rip. The two of them sensed more than saw the group of mice return to the Score Board.

"Throttle?" Carbine called seeing the unfamiliar dazed expression on the tawny mouse.

"He just finished getting Ripped by Flea." Mace's voice muffled by the ice pack he held to his head.

"Poor boy." Carbine sneered.

Mace couldn't help but hear the harsh sarcasm in her voice. "Stoker told ya?"

Her brown eyes glared at the rusty red mouse. "Everything."

Mace didn't look away. "Sorry you had to find out like this."

Carbine walked to the sitting area. Plunking down on the edge of the solid wood coffee table she looked to Mace for answers. "What did Stoker see you and Throttle doing?"

Mace smirked but didn't blush. "Kissing."

"That was it?" Carbine was indeed shocked. Stoker's reaction seemed like he caught them in bed.

"That was it." Mace shrugged. "Okay, so I groped his ass too. But still, that was all." He kept his voice low so the other mice who returned to the hang out didn't hear them. "I'm sorry Carbine, he really does love you."

Not impressed with the news of Throttle loving her she snapped, "Sorry doesn't cut i--"

"Don't touch Flea!" Mace shouted seeing Vinnie getting close to the still dazed young mouse. He ignored Carbine completely.

Vinnie froze in mid-step he turned to look at the beaten mouse. "Why?"

"Flea'll rip you too. He isn't fully trained yet." Mace warned as he noted Throttle blinking trying to get his wits about him.

"Oh." Vinnie hopped up into his hammock. "I hope he can tune things out." The white mouse muttered kicking off his boots.

"Vincent….. away." Throttle whispered trying to make sense of everything around him.

Vinnie frowned. "Away?"

"Get away." Throttle hissed his eyes squeezed shut as if in pain.

Rolling out of the hammock, Vinnie sighed moving to the sitting area. "I take it the kid can't tune anything out." He sat in the lazy-boy chair across from Mace.

Stoker turned around to see the rat. "WHAT IS HE DOING HERE!?" fists balled he took a step towards Mace.

Modo grabbed Stoker by the hair, pulling his ponytail. "He's here because of you." Modo growled.

"He's a rat!" Stoker protested.

"Mace is one of us Stokes" Vinnie waved a dismissive hand. "Like it or not."

Mace's head lowered.

Vinnie patted the red mouse's knee.

Looking up at Vinnie curiously, Mace swore the white mouse winked at him. "Yeah, if you say so." He muttered weakly.

Carbine shook her head. "You're a mouse, all that matters." She stood up and walked away from the red mouse she still saw as filthy rat.

Stoker crossed his arms, keeping a wary eye on Mace.

"He was out cold when he got here." Rimfire put in to help calm the old war hero. "He never saw the way."

Stoker frowned. He had to admit he liked Rimfire's answer. "Fine. Just make sure he's drugged or something before he leaves. I'll offer to punch him out if need be." He smirked at the last part.

"No one's punching Mace." Carbine stated. "That's my job."

Mace looked up slightly worried.

Throttle tucked Flea into his bed before carefully making his way to the kitchenette, grabbing some aspirin he downed them dry. "Don't touch me yet." He warned Rimfire who offered a glass of water.

"You were fine after you ripped Mace." Rimfire stated setting the glass down on the counter, backing away.

"I know." Throttle retrieved the glass. "That was when I ripped. I just did a training session and was ripped. Big difference." He grunted draining the glass dry.

Stoker turned to his tawny rookie. "Takes a lot of energy to train, I left you in a bad state to begin with."

Throttle's lip curled in disgust. "You sorry now?"

"Nope. Just saying your plenty stupid." Stoker replied easily, walking to his bike.

Throttle quickly put his glass down. The urge to throw the china at the old mouse was far too strong. Keeping his mouth shut, Throttle instead headed to his lady… well the General. "Carbine?"

"Outside, now." She ordered leading the way.

Throttle followed like a whipped puppy.

Mace watched them leave shaking his head. "Five dollars she breaks up with him."

"You're on." Vinnie smiled.

"I'll bet five she doesn't." Charley laid her money down on the coffee table.

"I'm with Charley on this one." Rimfire said dropping his five pieces on the pile.

Vinnie pulled out his wallet and put in ten.

Mace cocked a brow.

"You don't have any." Vinnie shrugged.

"Owe you." Mace stated.

"I'll just take the winnings." Vinnie smirked.

Mace chuckled. "I want ten out of it then."

"Just ten?" Vinnie asked surprised.

"Yeah, just ten." Mace nodded.

Modo smiled putting money down too. "Five for them staying together."

Stoker dropped a twenty down. "They break up, she does the breaking."

"Stoker?" Charley looked surprised at the brown mouse.

"Sorry sugar, but this one isn't going away easily." Stoker glared at Mace.

Mace found his bandaged hands suddenly interesting.

"What happened anyways?" Rimfire asked.

"If their willing to talk, they will." Stoker grunted.

"Bad mouthed Carbine." Mace muttered low. "Was apologizing for it."

Flea chuckled from the bed. "That's what you call it now?"

"Shut up and sleep!" Mace snapped embarrassed.

Giggling Flea stayed in bed, but didn't sleep. He was listening to all the thoughts and conversations around him. One in particular was taking place on the roof. "Are you still taking bets?"

"Yep!" Vinnie called with a smile.

"My moneys on Throttle breaking up with Carbine." Flea called over to the group not that far away.

They all laughed.

Mace smirked sadly "he isn't that stupid Flea, she's a good girl."

To Be Continued In….

**Is he really that stupid????**


	16. Chapter 16

**Biker Mice from Mars**

**In:**

**It's War!**

**Part 16**

_**By: Whipblade**_

Carbine stood stunned. Before her Throttle stood like a mouse who executed a traitor and felt no remorse. The cities glow washing them in painfully fake lights. Below them, the stadium sat vacant.

"Why?" a tear fell along her cheek.

Throttle made no move to thumb it away as he always had when she cried. "There's too many reasons to count Carbine." Throttle didn't hide the pain he felt causing his heart and hers to break. "We're so far apart. We haven't been a couple since The Biker Mice left Mars. Even after the brief visits, have we ever been a couple?"

Rubbing her cheek on her shoulder she sighed. "Is this because of Mace?"

"No. It's not Mace." He took her hand. "This is about us. About how you feel about us, how I feel about us."

"How I feel?"

"I heard it loud and clear Carbine. You have more doubts about my faithfulness than Mars' recovery. If you can't trust me Carbine, just say so."

Dropping his hand, Carbine backed away. Stepping to the edge of the scoreboard she looked out over the city, the parking lot and bleachers perched on rooftops. "You're right. I don't trust you. I don't think I ever did when it comes to pretty women. Harley, Charley… if I knew you were into guys I would have joined the Freedom Fighters just to make sure you stayed true."

"I'm not exactly into guys." Throttle protested weakly.

"Just Mace?" She spun looking at him.

"No, not Mace, I was young and curious." Throttle shrugged. "Then, it seemed different; you weren't even my girlfriend at the time."

"And when I was?" Carbine's voice turned cold.

"Mace didn't take it too well that I wanted you. We had some words and then some before he went on the mission with Lucas. Hell, I wasn't that sad to see him go and never come back."

"He came back."

"Yes he did. I was sad no one else came back with him." Even through the shades, Throttle looked Carbine in the eyes. "I never touched him, we never were that close again."

"The rat didn't know?"

"The rat knew. Oh he knew." Throttle shook his head. "It didn't matter, I had you."

"Now you're just tossing me away?"

"Carbine, I love you. But without trust, how can we stay together?"

"Do you trust me?" Carbine asked lifting her chin defiantly.

"No." Throttle stated flatly.

"Why not?!?"

"Because I don't know who Turbo is, but you've compared him to me over ten times in the last twenty minutes."

Carbine closed her eyes. "I thought you could block every ones thoughts."

"Not after I've been training or after I've been ripped." Throttle stated not touching her. "How long?"

"A while."

"How long?" Throttle pleaded.

"Too long."

"Carbine, how long?" he demanded.

"Two years."

"Not even a shred of decency in you is there?" Throttle shook his head. "That's two years after we got back together." Heading for the roof hatch, Throttle sighed. "Good bye Carbine."

Carbine watched the mouse she knew she threw away disappear. Tears streamed down her face with abandon.

"Throttle?" Vinnie never saw his bro look so heartbroken. Even after battles where children were killed, Throttle was devastated by the senseless slaughter; they all were, but none ever looked as sad, hurt and lonely as he did walking to his bike.

"Throttle you alright?" Stoker asked reaching out to the tawny mouse.

Arm in a sling, Throttle straddled his bike. "I'm fine." He gazed at Stoker.

Stoker couldn't help feel sorry for his rookie looking so lost and lonely.

"Did you know she was cheating?"

Stoker closed his eyes, "No, I didn't." hanging his head. "I'm sorry."

Throttle gave a nod starting up his bike. "I just broke up with her."

Rimfire leaned against Modo not sure what to do. Modo wrapped his arm around his nephew. "Be back shortly, won't chya?" Modo called to Throttle.

"I will." Throttle called back steering his bike to the ramp and exit.

Flea stood up watching his teacher leave. Walking to the coffee table he scooped up the money.

"That was the reason?" Mace looked up to Flea.

Flea nodded yes. "Only one." Pocketing the money, he watched the general climb down the stairs.

"I'm leaving for Mars, right now." Carbine didn't stop as she stormed past them all.

Flea hurried to pack what few things Charley had been nice enough to give him.

Stoker too hurried after the General.

Mace stayed sitting looking up at Modo and Vinnie. "Do you mind if I stay here?" he asked trying not to sound too hurt.

Modo looked to the red mouse he wasn't sure about still.

Vinnie smiled weakly. "I don't mind."

"Throttle'll need all the support he can get right now." Modo finally stated. "You can stay for now."

Mace smiled. "Thank you."

Rimfire hugged his uncle.

"Rimfire, please make sure Flea's looked after" Mace begged, his sad gray eyes looking at the skunked haired adult.

"Don't worry Mace. I'll look after him." Rimfire smiled breaking apart from his uncle. "Take care uncle Modo."

"Tell your sis and mom I said hi." Modo rubbed his nephew's hair.

"Ride Free bros!" Rimfire called as he hurried after Stoker and Carbine.

Flea, duffle bag hanging off one shoulder stood beside Rimfire's bike. "Mind if I ride?"

"You can drive." Rimfire offered the younger mouse who quickly mounted the bike, stashing his tote.

Rimfire climbed on.

"Thank you for everything Miss Charlene, Ride Free bros. Thanks Mace." Flea waves before starting the bike.

"Take care lil' bro." Mace waved back watching him go.

The trio of bikes exited the scoreboard quickly.

"Think Stoker will ever be back?" Charley asked watching the mice leave.

"Maybe, if Rimfire or Flea comes calling and can convince him. I doubt we'll see Carbine again until we go home." Modo replied solemnly.

Vinnie shook his head "I dunno bro. Carbine can be a nasty bitch when she wants to be. I wouldn't put it past her to stop by sometime just to rub Throttle's nose in her affair."

"Sounds like the Carbine I used to know." Mace sighed leaning back against the couch. "Throttle's going to be pretty down for the next bit."

"Yeah." Modo and Vinnie simultaneously uttered.

"I probably shouldn't be here when he gets back." Mace looked down at his bandaged hands.

"You're just as much a bro as we are. You're here now, you're staying." Modo firmly said.

"Yeah, even though we're not that fond of what that _rat_ did to your name, we like you." Vinnie smirked.

"Please for the sake of sanity, clean the drains after your baths. Shedding fur clogs up everything!" Charley laughed.

Confused Mace looked at the human. "Shed?"

"You're a billion miles closer to the sun, bro." Modo ruffled red hair lightly. "Your thick fur is about to start falling out leaving a nice thin coat."

Rubbing his thumb through his rusty red arm fur, Mace frowned. "It took me a good year and some to get this coat thick enough to stand that prison. Now I have to loose it?"

"Like a canine with mange." Vinnie chuckled "You'll have Charley-girl cursing your every step for the next six months, if you're lucky."

Mace in a deadpan, humorless voice sighed "Yippee-yahoo-oh joy." With a wave of a finger he tried to sum up the thought of a human chasing him with a dust-vac.

"I just hope Throttle doesn't become the next mouse Limburger tries to tie to his buildings roof." Charley smiled rubbing Mace's uninjured shoulder.

"Hate to state the obvious, but the building is still standing." Vinnie pointed out.

"Go find Throttle, I'll…… sleep." Mace smiled stretching out on the couch. "Sleep sounds good."

"Do you ride?" Charley asked as she stood by Vinnie's red bike.

"Yeah, just not A.I's, they creep me out." Mace confessed with a shiver.

Modo smiled. "Welcome home, bro."

Vinnie hopped on his bike. "You were the one who had that pitiful dirt bike?"

"That was my bike." Mace gave a weak smile. "She wasn't that pitiful, just characterized."

"Yeah….uh…. she blew up." Vinnie hid his smiled gunning his engine.

"Blew up?" Mace looked to Modo who was already prepped to leave.

"Vinnie used her for target practice…. After….."

"Ah." Mace gave a nod. "Can't say I blame him."

Modo Revved his engine, squealing tires as he peeled out of the hangout behind Vinnie.

"Ride Free!" Mace called out.

**Unimpressed Limburger once again dragged himself out of rubble.**

**END?**

Whipblade

October 31, 2006


End file.
